Lori Jo Mueller, Defrauding Home Health Care Company, Minnesota 2012
Lori Jo Mueller, a 48-year-old Apple Valley woman, has been charged with defrauding her employer, Edelweiss Home Health Care, and Medica, a health care benefit program.
According to federal court documents, Mueller allegedly embezzled approximately $840,000 from Edelweiss between June 2006 and June 2012, using the funds for her personal use.
Mueller, who was promoted to vice president of operations at Edelweiss in 2002, used her access to the corporate checking account to issue payments from corporate accounts to herself, concealing her actions from the company owners and making misrepresentations concerning the company’s financial state.
In addition, Mueller allegedly defrauded Medica between March 2010 and June 2012, submitting claims to various insurers, seeking reimbursement for services provided by Edelweiss nursing staff. In some instances, Mueller double-billed by submitting claims for the same services to multiple insurance providers.
As a result of this criminal behavior, Mueller obtained for Edelweiss more than $631,000 in fraudulent proceeds.
If convicted in this case, Mueller faces a potential maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison on the wire fraud count and ten years on the health care fraud count.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office participates in a task force with the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit at the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office that focuses on home health care fraud trends.
As a result of federal convictions for health care fraud, defendants are excluded from participating in federal health benefit programs, including Medicare and Medicaid.
Mueller is presumed innocent until she pleads guilty or is proven guilty at trial.
Key Facts
- State: Minnesota
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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