CHARLESTON — West Virginia Attorney Patrick Morrisey made sure that two individuals were convicted of Medicaid fraud after investigating and prosecuting their cases through the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
“Medicaid dollars are there to provide medical care for our low-income residents and families who legitimately need the assistance, not to pad the pockets of thieves,” Morrisey said. “Our office will vigorously attack waste, fraud and abuse each and every time it is discovered.”
Skybluewater Keys and Robert James Peterson were convicted of Medicaid fraud and agreed to pay full restitution in their cases.
Keys pleaded guilty to three counts of felony Medicaid fraud in Upshur Circuit Court, where she received a three- to 30-year prison sentence. However, the sentence was suspended upon payment of full restitution in the amount of $1,973.40. She will be on supervised probation for three years and will perform 240 hours of community service.
Keys attempted to bill Medicaid for performing caregiver services between March 20, 2020, and April 12, 2020, for a Medicaid member who had died on March 19, 2020.
WBOY reported last April that Keys was attempting to fill a prescription for someone who died in March. Officers prepared surveillance of when Keys went to pick up the prescription and took her into custody. She was held in Tygart Valley Regional Jail.
Peterson pleaded guilty to a single count of felony Medicaid fraud in Lincoln Circuit Court and he received a one- to 10-year prison sentence, which was also suspended upon his payment of full restitution in the amount of $8,664.60.
Peterson's conviction stemmed from allegations that from 2013 to 2015, Peterson billed Medicaid for services rendered to his stepson, even though the child was not in his care and he did not actually perform such services.
The cases were investigated and prosecuted by the Attorney General's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.