Richmond woman Chermeca Harris, 36, has pleaded guilty to Medicaid fraud and identity theft charges in a shocking case that has left law enforcement officials stunned.
According to court documents, Harris was a Medicaid beneficiary who would misrepresent her health condition to healthcare providers, including hospitals and ambulance services, in order to obtain healthcare benefits. Specifically, Harris would falsely represent that she was suffering from sickle cell anemia and was having a sickle cell crisis in order to obtain pain-killing drugs, such as dilaudid, which she wanted to receive intravenously through the neck.
Doctors tested Harris in January 2016 and determined that she did not have sickle cell anemia. The hospitals involved in the scheme were Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center, Chippenham, Bon Secours St. Mary’s, Memorial Regional, John Randolph Medical Center, and Henrico Doctor’s.
As part of the scheme, Harris also falsely represented her identity, using the names of other Medicaid recipients, M.M. and R.J. She even falsely told federal investigators that her name was M.M. and that she had sickle cell anemia.
Harris was charged as part of the largest ever healthcare fraud enforcement action by the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, involving 412 charged defendants across 41 federal districts, including 115 doctors, nurses, and other licensed medical professionals, for their alleged participation in healthcare fraud schemes involving approximately $1.3 billion in false billings.
Harris pleaded guilty to healthcare fraud on the Medicaid program and aggravated identity theft. She faces a mandatory minimum of two years in prison and a maximum penalty of 12 years in prison, when sentenced on October 26.
A federal district court judge will determine Harris’s sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Chermeca Harris, 36, Defendant/respondent REAL full name or legal entity name
Exact criminal charges: Healthcare fraud and aggravated identity theft
City and state: Richmond, Virginia
Exact DATE with month/day/year: 2016 (crime date)
Sentence or outcome: Faces up to 12 years in prison
Dollar amounts: $1.3 billion in false billings
Companies involved: Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center, Chippenham, Bon Secours St. Mary’s, Memorial Regional, John Randolph Medical Center, and Henrico Doctor’s
Key Facts
- State: Virginia
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes|White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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