Related Federal Cases
- Wisconsin Attorney Lands 5.5 Years for $2.3M Fraud Scheme · Wisconsin
- Wisconsin Couple Pleads Guilty in Elderly Fraud Scheme · Wisconsin
- Wisconsin Man Sentenced for Attempted Sex Trafficking of a Minor · Wisconsin
- Live Nation Faces Trial Over Monopoly Practices · Washington
- Thomas C. Balsiger Convicted in $100M Coupon Fraud Scheme · Wisconsin
Wisconsin Attorney Sentenced to 5.5 Years for $2.3 Million Medicaid Fraud Scheme
INDIANAPOLIS—Leslie Smith, 63, of Indianapolis, has been sentenced to five and a half years in federal prison for her role in a multi-million dollar Medicaid fraud scheme. Smith, a licensed attorney in the state of Wisconsin at the time of the crimes, pleaded guilty to health care fraud, wire fraud, and tax evasion.
According to court documents, Smith engaged in multiple fraud schemes against her employer, relatives, and the government. As the Office Manager for a podiatry practice in Indianapolis, Smith submitted approximately 288 fraudulent claims for reimbursement to Medicaid for oxygen monitoring devices that were never ordered. She caused Medicaid to pay $559,197.67 on these false claims and also caused a total of $1,194,942.07 in Medicaid payments to be deposited to her personal bank account.
Smith’s schemes didn’t stop there. She fraudulently obtained COVID-19 mortgage assistance funds for a home on Kessler Boulevard in Indianapolis by falsely representing that she was the owner of the home. In reality, the owner was a relative of Smith who died in 2020. Smith also sold a residence in Indianapolis that she jointly owned with another individual for approximately $380,000, without the knowledge or consent of the co-owner.
Smith did not file federal income tax returns from 2018 through 2021, and thereby failed to report approximately $1,299,179.01 in income. She prepared false tax returns for her employer, including her payments from Medicaid as income for her employer, in an effort to hide the fact that she was fraudulently receiving money from Medicaid.
“This criminal used her position of trust to lie, cheat, and steal from patients, her employer, and the public—fraudulently lining her pockets with over a million dollars intended to provide healthcare to disadvantaged Hoosiers,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “She continued to engage in new fraud schemes even while facing federal charges, demonstrating an utter disregard for the rule of law.”
Smith must also pay $2,341,655.08 in restitution. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge James R. Sweeney II. Smith’s prison term will be followed by two years of supervised release. The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, FBI, HHS-OIG, and the Indiana Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
“This case originated from our office’s data mining efforts and confirms the importance of using every technology tool available to bring fraudsters to justice – even perpetrators who hide in the plain sight of a doctor’s office,” said Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita. “A special thanks to our Investigator Dan Shragal and Fraud Analyst Sarah Simpson for putting their foot down and ending this podiatrist staff member’s practice of sending millions of dollars in Medicaid payments to their own personal bank account.”
“Leslie Smith not only stole from American taxpayers, but her unbridled greed also betrayed her employer’s trust, shattering the fabric of trust that holds a workplace together,” said Justin Campbell, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation Chicago Field Office. “This prison sentence should serve as a stark reminder of the profound consequences of greed and deception.”
RELATED: WI Woman Gets 18 Months for Role in Fentanyl Pipeline
RELATED: Felon Sentenced to 4 Years for Illegally Possessing Firearm
Key Facts
- State: Indiana
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
