South Carolina Attorney General's Office Arrests Individual for Medicaid Fraud

Strategic Insights -

South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced that his office's Vulnerable Adults and Medicaid Provider Fraud unit (VAMPF) has arrested Mikalia S. Mitchell, 32 years old, of Pacolet, SC, on multiple counts of forgery and medical assistance provider fraud. Mitchell is accused of submitting falsified records and claiming she provided services to Medicaid beneficiaries when she did not. This case will be prosecuted by the Attorney General's Office.

Key Takeaways:

  • Mikalia S. Mitchell, 32, was arrested on two counts of Forgery, value less than $10,000, and one count of Medical Assistance Provider Fraud.
  • Mitchell, a personal care attendant, is accused of forging signatures on timesheets and submitting falsified records between August 1, 2024, and January 25, 2025.
  • The investigation revealed that Mitchell caused false claims for payments to the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.
  • Forgery, value less than $10,000, is a felony with a penalty of up to five years in prison, a fine at the discretion of the court, or both.
  • Medical Assistance Provider Fraud is a class A misdemeanor with a penalty of up to three years in prison and a fine of up to $1,000.
  • The South Carolina Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, dba VAMPF, receives 75 percent of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant award totaling $2,889,252 for federal fiscal year 2025.
  • The unit also receives 25 percent of its funding, totaling $963,084 for FFY 2025, from South Carolina.

Statistics:

  • Total grant award for VAMPF for federal fiscal year 2025: $2,889,252
  • South Carolina funding for VAMPF for Fed Fiscal Year 2025: $963,084
  • Total maximum penalty for Forgery, value less than $10,000: Up to five years in prison, a fine at the discretion of the court, or both
  • Total maximum penalty for Medical Assistance Provider Fraud: Up to three years in prison and a fine of up to $1,000

Sources:

  • South Carolina Attorney General's Office
  • US Department of Health and Human Services