Medicaid Scam: St. Louis Woman Pleads Guilty

⏱ 3 min read

Camille Childress, 41, of St. Louis County, confessed in federal court Thursday to running a brazen scheme to rip off Missouri Medicaid. Between 2021 and 2022, Childress’ company, Inspiring Angels LLC, allegedly pocketed at least $174,496 in bogus claims for home healthcare services that were never provided. The fraud wasn’t just about phantom care – Childress went to lengths to hide her involvement.

Federal prosecutors say Childress lied on paperwork to enroll Inspiring Angels with Medicaid, concealing the fact she owned the company. The reason? A 2012 criminal conviction that would have disqualified her. She used a straw owner to get the business licensed, banking on the system not digging deep enough.

The scam involved billing Medicaid while clients were in the hospital—impossible for in-home care—and submitting claims without any supporting documentation, like timesheets. Essentially, Childress was billing for air, treating Medicaid funds like a personal slush fund. Investigators from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Missouri Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, and the FBI untangled the web of false claims.

Childress pleaded guilty to one count of healthcare fraud. She’s due back in court June 16th, facing a potential decade in prison and a $250,000 fine. Restitution for the $174,496 stolen will also be ordered. Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman is handling the prosecution.