AG Announces Arrest of Bessemer Woman on Charges of Conspiring with Bessemer Pharmacist to Defraud Medicaid Agency
MONTGOMERY – Attorney General Luther Strange announced the arrest of Sonia Judd Coleman, 34, of Bessemer, on four counts of filing false claims with the Alabama Medicaid Agency and one count of first-degree theft of property. Coleman was arrested this morning by Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office deputies.
The Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit presented evidence to the January 2015 term of the Montgomery County grand jury, resulting in an indictment* charging Coleman for her role in the filing of numerous false claims for payment to the Alabama Medicaid Agency totaling over $50,000.
It is alleged that Bessemer pharmacist Alan Bruce Connell conspired with Coleman, whose minor child suffers from a terminal illness, to bill the Alabama Medicaid Agency for expensive medications the child required but were not dispensed by Connell. As part of the scheme, it is alleged that on several occasions Coleman took her child’s prescriptions to Connell, who submitted a claim with the Alabama Medicaid Agency for reimbursement. Coleman would receive cash payment for the prescriptions. A review of pharmacy’s records revealed that, during the time period in question, Connell did not have enough of the medication in stock to be able to dispense the amount he billed the Alabama Medicaid Agency. Connell was arrested on the same charges yesterday.
No additional information about the investigation or the alleged crimes may be disclosed at this time.
The case was investigated by the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit after being referred for investigation by the Program Integrity Division of the Alabama Medicaid Agency. Medicaid Fraud is an unclassified felony with a maximum possible prison sentence of five years. Theft of property in the first degree is a class “B” felony, which carries a possible prison sentence of two to 20 years in the Department of Corrections.
Attorney General Strange commended his Medicaid Fraud Control Unit for their steadfast investigation of this case. He also thanked the Alabama Board of Pharmacy for assistance.
*An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
AG Strange Announces Arrest of Ohio Man for Medicaid Fraud and Identity Theft
MONTGOMERY – Attorney General Luther Strange announced the arrest of Darnell Davon Nash, 30, of Cleveland, Ohio, on 69 counts of filing false claims with the Alabama Medicaid Agency and one count of trafficking in stolen identities.
The Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit presented evidence to the August 2014 term of the Montgomery County grand jury, resulting in an indictment* charging Nash for his role in the filing of numerous false claims for payment to the Alabama Medicaid Agency and being in possession of identifying information of approximately 25 Alabama Medicaid recipients. Nash currently is in federal custody on an unrelated fraud conviction and is being transported to Alabama by the U.S. Marshal Service. A trial date is set for March 9, 2015.
It is alleged that Nash, along with a co-defendant, established a fictitious business named Chase Farms Group and enrolled the business as an Alabama Medicaid provider. They then obtained, by deceit, the Medicaid Provider ID of a north Alabama physician’s office, by stating they ran a counseling service and wanted the physician’s office to be their medical provider. The physician’s office became suspicious when they attempted to contact Nash, who had used an alias, to inquire about the partnership. The scheme also involved the distribution of flyers to Medicaid recipients throughout the Birmingham area, advertising assistance with obtaining government subsidies. As victims would call the number provided and give their identifying information, Nash and his co-defendant would then bill Medicaid for alleged services provided by the physician’s office using the stolen information.
The case was investigated by the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. Medicaid Fraud is an unclassified felony with a maximum possible prison sentence of five years. Trafficking in stolen identities is a class B felony, which carries a possible prison sentence of two to 20 years imprisonment for a first offense and up to life in prison based on criminal history. Nash is facing a possible sentence of 20 years to life imprisonment.
Attorney General Strange commended his Medicaid Fraud Control Unit for their steadfast investigation of this case. He also thanked the Birmingham office of the U.S. Secret Service, the U.S. Marshal Service, the Ohio Office of the United States Department of Labor and the Ohio Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
*An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
