Kentucky Vets Charged in $14.6B Healthcare Fraud Takedown

LOUISVILLE, KY – A trio of Kentucky and Indiana medical professionals are facing federal charges today as part of the Department of Justice’s 2025 National Health Care Fraud Takedown, a nationwide sweep netting 324 defendants and over $14.6 billion in fraudulent claims. U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky announced charges against Ashley Barnett, 41, of Louisville, Kentucky; Laura Webb, 37, of Springfield, Kentucky; and Rachel Goldstein, 43, of Jeffersonville, Indiana, alleging a brazen scheme to illegally divert controlled substances and defraud Medicaid.

The charges aren’t about corner-cutting or billing errors. These are deliberate attempts to exploit a broken system and fuel the opioid crisis ripping through the Commonwealth. According to court documents, Barnett and Webb, both licensed doctors of veterinary medicine, are accused of conspiring to illegally use a DEA registration number belonging to another individual. Simultaneously, Barnett and Goldstein face charges of conspiracy to obtain controlled substances through misrepresentation, fraud, forgery, deception, or subterfuge.

The alleged scheme is staggering in its scope. Prosecutors claim the trio conspired to issue prescriptions for over 25,000 Schedule II controlled substances – including highly addictive opioids like oxycodone and hydrocodone – in the names of dogs. Not just any dogs, mind you. The indictment details prescriptions written for deceased canines and even completely fictitious animals, with Barnett and Goldstein allegedly pocketing the diverted drugs for their own use. It’s a sick joke at the expense of those genuinely suffering from pain and addiction.

The greed didn’t stop there. Barnett is also charged with theft of medical products, accused of stealing buprenorphine from her employer before it could reach legitimate patients. Further compounding the charges, both Barnett and Goldstein are facing healthcare fraud charges related to a scheme where Barnett allegedly had Goldstein fill a prescription for dextroamphetamine (another Schedule II controlled substance) and provide it to her, then submitted the claim to Medicaid. A clear abuse of the system designed to help those in need.

“Health care providers must be trusted to appropriately prescribe highly-addictive medications only to those in need. Doing otherwise only exacerbates the opioid epidemic that has ravaged our Commonwealth and destroyed families,” a visibly angered U.S. Attorney Bumgarner stated. “As alleged in each of the charging documents, these defendants breached that trust and illegally diverted controlled substances. While these defendants are professionally obligated to help communities, the charging documents allege that they have unfortunately done the opposite. They will be held to account.” Attorney General Pamela Bondi added, “This record-setting Health Care Fraud Takedown delivers justice to criminal actors who prey upon our most vulnerable citizens and steal from hardworking American taxpayers.”

This takedown, involving over $245 million in seized assets – cash, luxury vehicles, and more – is a message: those who exploit the healthcare system for personal gain will face the full force of the law. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Ansari of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District is prosecuting the case. The investigation is ongoing, and further arrests are possible. Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and bring you updates as they develop.”