ATLANTA, GA – Attorney General Chris Carr today announced that Jennifer Lynn Robinette, owner and operator of Wishes 4 Me Foundation, Inc., pled guilty to one count of Medicaid Fraud, one count of Exploitation of a Disabled Adult and two counts of Forgery in the First Degree in Gwinnett County Superior Court.

“Our office will remain diligent in working with local officials to protect the integrity of Georgia programs and to ensure taxpayer dollars are used appropriately,” said Attorney General Chris Carr.

Jennifer Lynn Robinette owned and operated Wishes 4 Me Foundation, Inc., a corporation which advertised itself as providing “structured living for adults with disabilities” and assisting “disabled adults live a more active lifestyle.” While the organization provided some of these services to residents, it was funded almost entirely by defrauding the Independent Care Waiver Program (ICWP), a Georgia Medicaid program intended to assist disabled adults live independently in their homes. Robinette wrongfully utilized the Georgia Medicaid program to facilitate the payment of more than $800,000.00 to herself and others ($150,000.00 of those said funds was deposited directly into her own bank accounts).

During the course of her management of Wishes, Robinette also convinced residents to open joint bank account with her, and she accessed some of these residents’ funds without their knowledge or their permission. By accessing these accounts, she was able to transfer residents’ money to the Wishes bank account, her own personal account and those of her other businesses.

As a result of her plea, Robinette was sentenced to 10 years, to serve 6 months on house arrest with electronic ankle monitor, the remainder to serve on probation, and was ordered to pay $150,000.00 in restitution to the Georgia Medicaid program and $2,500.00 to a former resident of Wishes 4 Me. In addition, Robinette is prohibited from directly, or indirectly through Wishes 4 Me or any other entity or individual, serving as a fiduciary for any disabled adult or elder person in any capacity, and she is excluded from participation in or association with the Georgia Medicaid program directly, or indirectly through Wishes 4 Me or any other entity or individual.

This case was investigated and prepared for prosecution jointly by the Office of the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Division (MFCD) and the Gwinnett County Police Department. MFCD Investigator Melanie Sawdye served as the lead investigator during the course of this investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Amanda E. Love.

For more information on this case, please CLICK HERE.