A Macon rehab owner has been brought to justice for attempting to cover up her business’s dirty dealings. Brenda Hicks, 58, of Macon, GA, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice in federal court on June 5.
Hicks, the owner of Middle Georgia Family Rehab, a rehabilitation facility with locations in Byron and Macon, was served with a Civil Investigative Demand (CID) requesting various patient records on October 7, 2019. Instead of cooperating with the investigation, Hicks instructed her employees to alter and create fake patient records, including progress notes and signatures.
According to court documents, Hicks told her employees that the CID was just an “audit” and that they didn’t have the requested records. She then directed them to create or sign the records, even going so far as to instruct them to copy and paste narrative language from other progress notes to fill in missing information. The doctored records were then produced to the Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office on December 2, 2019.
“Anyone who attempts to alter or destroy documents requested as part of a federal investigation will face federal penalties for breaking the law,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “For the sake of justice and truth, it is imperative that the integrity of the investigation is maintained for the benefit of all parties.”
Hicks faces up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. She must also pay restitution to TRICARE, Medicare, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Medicaid, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Sentencing is scheduled for September 5.
The case was investigated by the Department of Defense, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DOD-DCIS); the Department of Health & Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG); the Georgia Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU); and the Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General (VA-OIG); with substantial assistance from the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG). Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Howard is prosecuting the case for the Government.
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Key Facts
- State: Georgia
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: White Collar Crime|Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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