Today, a Cook County judge sentenced the owner and the biller of a medical equipment company to six years in prison for committing Medicaid fraud, amounting to over $100,000. The convicted individuals are 61-year-old Doreatha Thomas and 39-year-old Siobahan Booker, both from Olympia Fields, Illinois, according to the press release by the Illinois Attorney General's office.
These sentences were issued by the Attorney General of Illinois, Kwame Raoul, representing state's commitment quickly to investigate and prosecute such cases. Thomas and Booker have been found guilty on two counts of theft, one count of vendor fraud and were taken into custody immediately after sentencing.
Thomas, the owner of Integrity Medical & Physician Supplies, sold medical equipment like hospital beds, wheelchairs, canes, and diabetic supplies. The company was found to overbill for diabetic supplies, leading to fraudulent claims of nearly $685,000 from the Medicaid program.
The Illinois State Police Medicaid Fraud Control Bureau launched an investigation into Thomas and Booker's fraudulent billing practices after receiving information from healthcare authorities and insurance providers. Brendan F. Kelly, the Director of Illinois State Police, pledged his department's full cooperation with Raoul’s office to ensure the efficient prosecution of such cases.
From fiscal year 2024, therefore, the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit under the supervision of the Illinois Attorney General will have additional $8.9 million funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. These funds are expected to speed up the prosecution of such fraud cases.
Prosecutors Supervising Attorney Steve Krueger and Assistant Attorney General Melissa Taormina Guske played key roles in this case, upholding Attorney General Raoul’s commitment to protect citizens' financial welfare. In Raoul's words, "individuals who defraud essential programs like Medicaid will be held accountable."
