Cahokia Woman Pleads Guilty To Health Care Fraud

Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today that on October 16, 2013, Karashia A. Tabbs, 45, of Cahokia, Illinois, pled guilty to a one-count indictment charging that she engaged in a scheme to commit health care fraud. Sentencing has been set for January 23, 2014, in United States District Court in East St. Louis, Illinois. Tabbs will face up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to 3 years of supervised release.

During her plea hearing, Tabbs admitted that she had submitted false and fraudulent bills in relation to her alleged performance of personal assistant services in the Home Services Program, a Medicaid Waiver Program designed to allow individuals to stay in their homes instead of entering a nursing home. Tabbs admitted to falsely billing the program between June and November of 2012, when the person for whom she was supposed to be caring for was actually residing in the state of Texas.

The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General and the Illinois State Police’s Medicaid Fraud Control Bureau. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ranley R. Killian and William E. Coonan.

If you suspect or know of an individual or company that is not complying with healthcare laws or public aid programs, you may report this activity to the local office of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General or you may call 800.447.8477.