June 22, 2015
Four Individuals Charged with Medicaid Fraud in Henry County
On Thursday, June 11, 2015, a Henry County Grand Jury charged Casandra Jones, Fredrick Thrasher, Antoine Johnson and Lynesha McElveen with one felony count of Medicaid Fraud (O.G.G.A. § 49-4-146.1(b)) and one felony count of Conspiracy to Defraud the State (O.C.G.A. § 16-10-21). Casandra Jones was charged with 38 additional counts of Forgery (O.C.G.A. § 16-9-1).
Casandra Jones and Fredrick Thrasher were the owners and operators of House of Preparation, LLC, located in Henry County, Ga. House of Preparation, LLC purported to provide Community Mental Health Services to children. Antoine Johnson and Lynesha McElveen were employees of House of Preparation, LLC.
Between Jan. 21, 2010, and Dec. 16, 2013, Jones and Thrasher were enrolled in the Georgia Medicaid Program. The program rules and regulations expressly prohibit billing Georgia Medicaid for any services not performed and altering patient records. The charges allege that Jones, Thrasher, Johnson and McElveen caused fraudulent billings to be submitted to Georgia Medicaid. Jones, Thrasher, Johnson and McElveen then created fraudulent documents to support the false billings to Georgia Medicaid. The investigation also revealed that Jones was in possession of numerous forged documents. As a result of submitting fraudulent billings, Jones and Thrasher accepted payments from Georgia Medicaid totaling $3,832,855.72, which is more than they were entitled.
Assistant Attorney General Robin Daitch presented the case to the Henry County Grand Jury. The case was investigated by Investigator Gretchen Brocard, Investigator Ralph Harper, Investigative Auditor Denise Colson, Chief Analyst Carmen Staley, Forensic Analyst Tish Murray and Nurse Investigator Mary Murr of the Georgia Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Community Health also assisted with this investigation.