A Warner Robins woman has been indicted in federal court for allegedly engaging in a scheme to defraud the Georgia Medicaid program of more than $5.4 million.
Elizabeth Sue Ivester, 62, was charged in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia with conspiracy to commit health-care fraud, health-care fraud, and aggravated identify theft.
As alleged in the indictment, Ivester, the owner and operator of Liberty Medical Inc., used Medicaid recipients’ identification numbers to submit fraudulent claims representing 77,095 pieces of durable medical equipment that were not ordered by a physician nor supplied to recipients.
“Defrauding Medicaid is the same as stealing taxpayer dollars,” Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr said Monday. “We will hold violators accountable.”
The charges Carr announced on Monday are part of a coordinated nationwide law enforcement effort that has resulted in criminal charges against 324 defendants.
“This administration will not tolerate criminals who line their pockets with taxpayer dollars while endangering the health and safety of communities,” U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said.
Georgia’s Medicaid Fraud and Patient Protection Division of Carr’s office has secured more than 90 convictions for Medicaid fraud and the abuse, neglect, and exploitation of older adults since Carr took office in 2019, resulting in more than $19 million in restitution orders in criminal cases and more than $108 million in civil judgments.
Ivester was arraigned on the charges two weeks ago following the return of the indictment by a federal grand jury in May.
Dave Williams writes for Capitol Beat News Service
