New Hanover County social worker pleads guilty to Medicaid fraud

Scheme resulted in $400,000 in fraudulent billing

NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — A social worker who used her employment to commit Medicaid fraud pleaded guilty to the crime on Wednesday.

Felicia Moore Jones, 52, participated in a scheme that resulted in more than $400,000 in fraudulent billing.

“Ms. Jones’ was a social worker who was supposed to help poor Medicaid recipients get healthcare. Instead, she stole and sold their identifying information in a scheme to bill taxpayers for care that was never provided,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “We are fortunate to live in a generous country, where we are proud to help the less advantaged through programs like Medicaid. But we will find and prosecute anyone who abuses that generosity for their own profit.”

According to a news release, Jones was a social worker in New Hanover County who conspired with a licensed mental health counselor, Lakia Washington, to defraud Medicaid. Jones used her government employment to obtain personally identifying information (PII) of New Hanover County residents enrolled in Medicaid, including their Medicaid ID numbers.

In exchange for an agreed-upon fee per beneficiary, Jones then provided the PII to Washington to generate fraudulent claims for services never rendered. Investigators have attributed more than $400,000 of Washington’s fraudulent Medicaid billing to the beneficiary PII Jones provided to Washington.

Late last year, Washington pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing. Based upon the investigation, no out-of-pocket costs were borne by the individuals whose identities were used as a part of the scheme.

Jones faces up to 10 years in prison and a potential fine.