Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway announced that her Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) obtained Medicaid Fraud convictions against Medicaid recipient Ronale Rankins and his attendants, Charlene Otey and Tifiney Lothridge, who received payment for services while Rankins was incarcerated. Rankins collaborated with his attendants, telling them to continue clocking in and out as if they were still providing services to him while he was incarcerated, so they could continue splitting the money. Missouri Medicaid’s Consumer-Directed Personal Care Program allows eligible Medicaid recipients to hire a personal care attendant (PCA) to provide personal care services for them in their home. After Rankins was incarcerated at the St. Louis City Division of Corrections (SLC-DOC), he told Otey during a recorded jail call to continue clocking in and out as if providing services to him so they could split the money. Later, while still incarcerated, Rankins hired Lothridge to be his new PCA and asked her not to mention he was incarcerated through the process. After Lothridge was paid for services not provided, she would keep most of the money for herself and via CashApp share some of the funds with an individual who would then deposit funds into Rankin’s SLC-DOC commissary account.
A total of 47 false claims for services allegedly provided by Otey to Rankins were submitted while Rankins was in jail and could not have received any services. Rankins was incarcerated on each of the 198 dates that services were claimed to be provided. Rankins and Otey collaborated to steal $12,761.76 from Missouri Medicaid for services billed but not provided. A total of 84 false claims for services allegedly provided by Lothridge to Rankins were submitted while Rankins was in jail and could not receive services. Rankins was incarcerated on each of the 373 dates that services were claimed to be provided. Rankins and Lothridge collaborated to steal $35,085.58 from Missouri Medicaid for services billed but not provided. MO HealthNet was unlawfully billed 131 times during Rankins’ scheme, resulting in a total loss to Medicaid of $47,845.34. Otey pleaded guilty to one count of Healthcare Fraud in violation of 191.905.1 (Class D felony) and was sentenced to pay restitution of $6,380.88 plus single damages $6,380.88 and a civil penalty of $5,000.00 for a total of $17,761.76. Rankins and Lothridge both plead guilty 2025.