Attorney General Hunter provides tips to help senior citizens
OKLAHOMA CITY - Attorney General Mike Hunter has charged a certified nurse aide with four counts of financial exploitation by a caretaker and one count of engaging in a pattern of criminal offenses.
An investigation by the attorney general’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit discovered Tracy Borman, 41, of Mannford, allegedly used an elderly resident’s debit card to withdraw cash from a bank account and make other unauthorized purchased, while she was working at North County Nursing and Rehabilitation, a nursing home and senior living center, located in Collinsville.
According to court records, Borman made purchases from retail stores, gas stations, payments to utility companies and ATM withdraws, between Nov. 2016 and Feb. 2017.
If convicted, Borman faces fines and prison time.
For the probable cause affidavit, click here.
For more information on this case, click here.
Attorney General Hunter said seniors are some of the most vulnerable citizens in our communities. In order to protect them from abuse, neglect or exploitation, families and loved ones should take extra precaution to keep them safe.
“It is disheartening when someone who is charged with taking care of elderly citizens is accused of betraying them by stealing their money,” Attorney General Hunter said. “My office remains committed to holding accountable those who defraud the elderly or any other citizen in the state.
“I encourage all Oklahomans who have an aging family member or loved one to remain engaged in their lives by frequently checking on them and assisting them with things that may be beyond their technical capabilities, such as checking bank and phone records, as well as online purchases.”
Attorney General Hunter’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit offers the following tips for taking care of a senior citizen.
- Appoint a family member (or another trustworthy person) to monitor the financials/trust funds of the resident;
- Once a year, pull a credit report on elderly loved ones – look for suspicious activity;
- Don’t give loved ones in long term care facilities large amounts of cash;
- Don’t pay nursing home bills with cash;
- Advise loved ones to keep credit cards and cash in a safe place;
- Advise loved ones they should not agree to purchase items or loan money to nursing home staff;
- Report suspicious activity to the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
The attorney general’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit is the only Oklahoma law enforcement agency dedicated to the investigation and prosecution of Medicaid fraud. The unit also investigates and prosecutes abuse of residents in Medicaid-funded nursing homes and state facilities. To report suspected Medicaid fraud or abuse, contact the attorney general’s office at (405) 522-2963.