Feds charge Ohio fraudsters with stealing $30M meant for behavioral health program to buy luxury cars

Federal prosecutors charged a group in Ohio with diverting about $30 million meant for kids’ behavioral health services into luxury cars and other lavish purchases. Four suspects, including two state employees, face 32 counts tied to Medicaid fraud. About $470,000 was seized from bank accounts linked to the defendants, in addition to 14 luxury vehicles purchased with the alleged proceeds, including six Mercedes-Benz sedans, a Bentley, a Jaguar, a Maserati, a McLaren, a BMW, a GMC, and two Land Rovers, all valued well over $800,000. Two of the defendants operated behavioral health service entities that claimed medically unnecessary services. Federal and state authorities, including the DOJ, HHS OIG, FBI, and Ohio’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, continue investigations that could total up to $50 million in stolen funds.