Thursday, April 17, 2008
Kentucky Attorney General Says That Two Therapists Accused Of Medicaid Fraud Arrested For Bribing Witnesses.
Attorney General Jack Conway today announced that two Kentucky therapists from Letcher County have been arrested for allegedly bribing a witness.
Following receipt of a tip, agents from the Kentucky Bureau of Investigation conducted surveillance of Vanessa Rouse, a 35-year-old speech pathologist from Deane, and Janice Fields, a 48-year-old developmental interventionist from Happy. Agents monitored a transaction in which Rouse and Fields allegedly gave money to a prosecution witness in Perry County and instructed the witness as to how to testify.
βI appreciate the witness in this case coming forward and working with investigators,β General Conway said. βIt is clear that these two individuals crossed the line when, as the indictment alleges, they fraudulently billed for services and then tried to bribe a witness.β
Rouse and Fields were previously indicted for fraudulently billing the Kentucky Medicaid Program for services provided to children in First Steps, a statewide early-intervention program for infants and toddlers with developmental disabilities. During 2006 and 2007, the therapists allegedly billed the state for services that were not provided to children. Rouse and Fields face up to 20 years in prison on the Medicaid Fraud counts if convicted. The therapists were indicted in Jefferson County on these charges because that is where the Medicaid billing was submitted for review and payment.
Rouse and Fields are set to be arraigned on the bribery charge in Perry County District Court on Monday, April 21 at 2 p.m.
Documents were obtained at the time of the arrests showing that other witnesses in the Medicaid Fraud case have been and were going to be contacted. The investigation continues and more charges are possible.
Following receipt of a tip, agents from the Kentucky Bureau of Investigation conducted surveillance of Vanessa Rouse, a 35-year-old speech pathologist from Deane, and Janice Fields, a 48-year-old developmental interventionist from Happy. Agents monitored a transaction in which Rouse and Fields allegedly gave money to a prosecution witness in Perry County and instructed the witness as to how to testify.
βI appreciate the witness in this case coming forward and working with investigators,β General Conway said. βIt is clear that these two individuals crossed the line when, as the indictment alleges, they fraudulently billed for services and then tried to bribe a witness.β
Rouse and Fields were previously indicted for fraudulently billing the Kentucky Medicaid Program for services provided to children in First Steps, a statewide early-intervention program for infants and toddlers with developmental disabilities. During 2006 and 2007, the therapists allegedly billed the state for services that were not provided to children. Rouse and Fields face up to 20 years in prison on the Medicaid Fraud counts if convicted. The therapists were indicted in Jefferson County on these charges because that is where the Medicaid billing was submitted for review and payment.
Rouse and Fields are set to be arraigned on the bribery charge in Perry County District Court on Monday, April 21 at 2 p.m.
Documents were obtained at the time of the arrests showing that other witnesses in the Medicaid Fraud case have been and were going to be contacted. The investigation continues and more charges are possible.
# posted by Joe Kinzer @ 1:00 PM 
