OKLAHOMA CITY – Ashely Nicole Brown, 35, of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, the owner of an unlicensed home health care company, pled guilty on September 22, 2022, to exploitation of an elderly couple and to identity theft. Brown also pled guilty on that date to jumping bail.
Creek County District Judge Douglas Golden sentenced Brown to ten (10) years, with the first seven (7) years to be served in prison, and an additional three (3) years’ probation under the supervision of the Department of Corrections Probation and Parole, for exploitation of elderly persons and identity theft. As a condition of her probation, Brown agreed to not own, manage, or work in the Oklahoma health care industry while on probation, and to pay restitution, as well as all fines, fees, and assessments associated with her cases. Judge Golden also sentenced Brown to 1 year in prison for jumping bail.
“This prosecution demonstrates the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office commitment to combating fraud, abuse and exploitation of elderly persons in the Medicaid system,” said Attorney General O’Connor. “Our MFCU agents and attorneys investigate and prosecute individuals, like Ashley Nicole Brown, who take advantage of elderly and vulnerable Oklahomans.”
In Creek County case number CF-2020-195, the Oklahoma Attorney General Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) investigation discovered evidence Brown used the elderly victims’ personal information, credit and debit cards without their permission to make $39,600.40 in purchases for herself and her company, and to pay off personal debts, debts of her family members, and debts of her company.
In Creek County case number CF-2022-111, Brown jumped bail by running from the courtroom of Judge Golden and fleeing from the Creek County courthouse, while in court awaiting a scheduled appearance in CF-2020-195. Brown remained a fugitive and failed to surrender herself to Creek County authorities for an extended period of time.
The Oklahoma MFCU has statewide jurisdiction to investigate and prosecute abuse, neglect, drug diversion and financial exploitation of elderly and vulnerable adults. In this role, the MFCU serves as a safeguard against caretakers who abuse, neglect, or exploit vulnerable Oklahomans. The MFCU also investigates and prosecutes violations of state and federal laws pertaining to provider fraud in the administration of the Medicaid program. The MFCU can recover Medicaid funds by pursuing criminal sanctions, civil judgments, or administrative recoveries.
If you have any information about Medicaid provider fraud or patient abuse, please report it to the Office of the Oklahoma Attorney General Medicaid Fraud Control Unit by calling 1-405-522-2963 or complete a complaint form found in following link: https://www.oag.ok.gov/Medicaid-fraud-citizen-resources
The Oklahoma MFCU receives 75% percent of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant award totaling $3,424,943.00 for Federal fiscal year (FY) 2022. The remaining 25% percent, totaling $856,235 for FY 2022, is funded by the State of Oklahoma. The federal fiscal year is defined as October 1, 2021, through September 30, 2022.