Charlotte behavioral health provider Ashley Nicole Cross is facing a mountain of federal charges after allegedly running a brazen scheme to steal from South Carolina’s Medicaid program and pocket COVID-19 relief funds. The feds allege Cross systematically billed for services never rendered, and then attempted a cover-up when auditors came knocking.
The 16-count indictment details a years-long fraud, spanning from 2016 to 2021, orchestrated through Cross’s company, Odyssey Health Group (OHG). Prosecutors say Cross paid for the personal information of Medicaid recipients – names, dates of birth, the works – and then used that data to file bogus claims totaling at least $400,000. Employees at OHG were allegedly instructed to fabricate patient files and clinical notes to make the fraud appear legitimate. It’s a classic playbook: steal identities, file fake claims, and hope nobody notices.
But the alleged grift didn’t stop there. When an audit of OHG’s claims was initiated in September 2019, Cross allegedly doubled down on the deception. Instead of coming clean, she allegedly submitted *more* fake medical records and actively lied to the auditor. This attempt to obstruct justice now forms a key part of the federal case against her.
Federal prosecutors aren’t just hitting Cross with healthcare fraud charges. They’re alleging she actively laundered the stolen funds, using a portion of the ill-gotten gains to *fund* the ongoing fraud – essentially reinvesting the stolen money to buy more victim information. This “promotion money laundering” charge significantly escalates the severity of the accusations.
Adding insult to injury, Cross is also accused of fraudulently obtaining Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, raking in over $120,000 in COVID-19 relief money that she wasn’t entitled to. The feds say she used interstate wire communications to pull off the scheme, opening her up to serious wire fraud and conspiracy charges. This wasn’t a small-time operation; it was a calculated and extensive attempt to exploit a system designed to help those in need.
The investigation was led by the FBI, with crucial support from the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office, Medicaid Fraud Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael E. Savage is handling the prosecution. If convicted on all counts, Cross faces decades behind bars. Healthcare fraud carries up to 10 years *per count*, false statements up to five, money laundering and wire fraud up to 20 each, and wire fraud conspiracy a whopping 30 years. This is a stark reminder that exploiting healthcare systems and federal relief programs will be met with serious consequences.
The feds are building a case based on fabricated records and stolen identities. Cross maintains her innocence, but the evidence presented in the indictment paints a grim picture of a calculated fraud that preyed on vulnerable individuals and abused public trust.
This case highlights the ongoing battle against healthcare fraud, a multi-billion dollar problem that drains resources from legitimate patients and providers. The FBI and federal prosecutors are sending a clear message: those who attempt to defraud the system will be relentlessly pursued and held accountable.
RELATED: Charlotte Behavioral Health Services Provider Indicted for Medicaid Fraud and COVID-19 Relief Fraud
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