St. Louis County home care owner and two managers plead guilty in Missouri Medicaid fraud case
Guilty pleas outline alleged three-year scheme involving personal care claims that were never provided
Three people tied to a St. Louis County-based home health care company have pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiring to defraud Missouri’s Medicaid program, admitting a scheme that prosecutors said generated more than $552,000 in improper payments.
Doriann Morgan, 58, of St. Louis County; Thalisa Walton, 46, of Hazelwood; and Barbara Jackson, 59, of St. Louis, each pleaded guilty to a felony charge of conspiracy to commit health care fraud in separate hearings in U.S. District Court in St. Louis. The case centers on A Mother’s Touch In-Home Care LLC, where Morgan was the owner, Walton the office manager, and Jackson the business manager, according to court filings summarized in the plea agreements.
What the defendants admitted
In their plea agreements, the defendants admitted that from about January 2018 through August 2021 they conspired to submit fraudulent reimbursement claims to Missouri Medicaid for personal care services that were never provided. Prosecutors said the trio admitted receiving $552,659 tied to those claims.
Morgan admitted owning the company and submitting Medicaid claims.
Walton admitted serving as office manager during the period covered by the conspiracy.
Jackson admitted acting as business manager, responsible for recruiting clients and assigning employees to provide care.
Examples of conduct cited in the plea agreements
The plea documents described multiple methods used to support claims billed to Medicaid. Prosecutors said fraudulent claims included personal care services purportedly provided by Jackson for a woman who did not live in Missouri and did not receive services. The plea agreements also stated that the defendants submitted claims for services supposedly provided at times when their own social media posts showed them engaged elsewhere.
Missouri Medicaid funds are intended to support care for eligible recipients, including those relying on in-home assistance for daily needs.
Civil settlement and whistleblower share
Separate from the criminal case, Morgan, Walton and Jackson also agreed to resolve civil allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by billing Missouri Medicaid using false timesheets and payroll records for in-home services that were not provided. Under the civil settlement, they agreed to pay $910,000.
The civil matter was brought under the False Claims Act’s whistleblower provisions by Michele Bickley. Under that framework, whistleblowers may receive a portion of the recovery; in this case, Bickley is set to receive $90,090 from the settlement proceeds.
Sentencing schedule and potential penalties
The defendants were scheduled for sentencing on Aug. 26. The conspiracy charge carries a potential penalty of up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both.
The investigation involved federal health-care fraud agents and the Missouri Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.