3 with Shreveport ties part of statewide Medicaid fraud bust

BATON ROUGE, La. – Three people with local ties are among 21 arrested in a statewide Medicaid fraud bust, the attorney general’s office announced Wednesday morning.

The operation was conducted by the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, which has been elevated to a stand alone unit within the Louisiana Department of Justice. Attorney General Liz Murrill said the change strengthens the state's efforts to investigate, prosecute, and recover taxpayer dollars lost to fraud, waste and abuse.

The arrests reflect the growing national crackdown on Medicaid fraud across the nation.

“I will not stop until the people’s money is returned and those who break the law face Louisiana justice. The men and women of Louisiana get up and go to work every single day to provide for their families. Their tax dollars are intended for those in need. Nothing is more offensive than those who manipulate the system for their own benefit,” said Murrill in a news release.

Local cases

Ashley Griffin, 43, of Aubrey, Texas, was arrested on four counts of Medicaid fraud. Griffin was a direct service worker for Dependable Care Services, which is a personal care services provider in Caddo Parish.

Griffin is accused of submitting claims to the provider for payment indicating she provided care to Medicaid recipients living in Shreveport and Mansfield. At the same time, Griffin had overlapping jobs with other employers in Texas, including the United States Postal Service, according to Murrill’s Office.

The alleged fraud happened between 2022 and March 2024, with the false claims totaling $65,769.

Constance Jones, 51, of Shreveport, was arrested on two counts of filing or maintaining false public records. Jones is the owner of Life Matters Counseling and Therapy Services in Caddo Parish.

The AG’s office said she submitted false CPR certification cards and exclusion checks in response to a Medicaid audit. The amount totaled $44,331.

Holly Broussard, 44, of Shreveport was indicted by a federal grand jury on one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. Broussard was a sales representative for a diagnostic testing laboratory company that was owned and operated by two other people.

The attorney general’s office said Broussard conspired with those two, who were not identified, to defraud Medicare, Medicaid and other government and private health care benefit programs by submitting false claims for respiratory panel tests that were not medically needed then concealed that fact.

Broussard and the company owners knew the rules to submit claims for the tests but solicited providers to do them so they could be bundled with COVID-19 tests to maximize reimbursement from health care benefit programs, the attorney general’s office alleges.

The indictment states Broussard concealed from the providers that the tests could not be used for exposure, screening or drive-through COVID testing, causing the company to fraudulently bill Medicare, Medicaid and other providers out of $51.7 million and was paid about $28.4 million, to which it was not entitled.

Broussard is scheduled for an initial court appearance and arraignment at 1 p.m. July 13 in New Orleans. 

Fraud investigative results

Since taking office, Murrill’s office has indicted, arrested, or charged 95 people for programmatic offenses, including Medicaid fraud and abuse and neglect in residential facilities. She has also secured 105 convictions and over $73 million in ordered restitution.

The attorney general’s office has also secured the arrest of 37 recipients for fraudulently receiving Medicaid benefits.

The Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigates and prosecutes Medicaid provider fraud, as well as abuse and neglect involving vulnerable residents in healthcare facilities. The unit receives cases from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Louisiana Department of Health, and other sources.

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Editor's Note: The attorney general's office did not have a mugshot of Broussard since she was indicted by a federal grand jury as part of the federal/state investigation. By policy, federal authorities do not release mugshots.