Felicia Moore Jones, 52, a social worker in New Hanover County, has been sentenced to 14 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for conspiring to defraud North Carolina Medicaid. The scheme, which involved over $400,000 in fraudulent claims, has resulted in Jones being ordered to pay the same amount in restitution.
Jones was charged with using her government position to steal from a program meant to aid the needy. She conspired with Lakia Washington, a licensed mental health counselor, to obtain personal identifying information of Medicaid beneficiaries and provide it in exchange for fees to generate fraudulent claims for services never rendered.
“This defendant used her government position to steal from a government program intended to help the needy,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “Now, she will be forced to repay what she took and spend the next 14 months behind bars.”
Lakia Washington pleaded guilty last year and is awaiting sentencing. North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein emphasized the impact of such fraud on taxpayers, stating, “When people defraud the Medicaid program, they are defrauding North Carolina’s taxpayers. I will continue to do everything I can to protect North Carolinians’ investment and hold perpetrators accountable.”
Special Agent in Charge Tamala E. Miles of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) highlighted the breach of trust by Jones, a social worker who violated her duties. “Ms. Jones was a social worker who violated the trust of her duties by accessing personal and health data of Medicaid recipients for personal gain.”
The investigation was led by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General with assistance from the North Carolina Medicaid Investigations Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Beraka. The sentencing was announced by U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle following a thorough legal process.
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Key Facts
- State: North Carolina
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Public Corruption|White Collar Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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