⏱ 2 min read
Natavia Boyd-Wells, the 42-year-old owner of Touch of the Heart Home Health Care LLC, has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for defrauding the Missouri Medicaid Program and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs out of $210,000. The scam, which involved submitting hundreds of fraudulent reimbursement claims, was perpetrated in St. Louis, where Boyd-Wells’ company was based. The fraud occurred over a period of time, with Boyd-Wells submitting claims for services that were never provided, including claims for dates when patients were in the hospital. In February 2022, Missouri Medicaid officials launched an audit, which led to the discovery of the scam.
Boyd-Wells’ scheme was elaborate, involving the submission of claims for services that were never provided, as well as claims for services provided on dates when patients were hospitalized. When Medicaid officials requested documentation for the services, Boyd-Wells created fake records to support her claims. The investigation, which was conducted by the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Missouri Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, revealed the full extent of the scam.
Boyd-Wells pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud in February and has been ordered to repay the $210,000 she stole. The sentence, handed down by U.S. District Judge Maria A. Lanahan, reflects the seriousness of the crime. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman, who worked to bring Boyd-Wells to justice.
The case highlights the need for vigilance in preventing Medicaid fraud, which can have serious consequences for patients and taxpayers. The Department of Veterans Affairs and the Missouri Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit have pledged to continue working to prevent and prosecute such crimes.
📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Defendant: Missouri
- Location: MO
- Source: DOJ Press Release
