PERSONAL CARE PROVIDER PLEADS GUILTY
TO FELONY FRAUD

Maryland Attorney General J. Joseph Curran, Jr. announced today that Rebecca Lynn Arbogast of the 36000 block of Danny Lane, Chaptico, Md. in pleaded guilty to one count of felony Medicaid fraud in connection with a scheme she carried out while providing personal care services to a Medicaid beneficiary. Ms. Arbogast, 47, billed the Maryland Medicaid program, through the St. Mary’s County Health Department, for personal care services she claimed to have rendered to the recipient she was caring for while he was incarcerated in the St. Mary’ s County Detention Center. She billed for these services for all 73 days during which he was serving his time causing a loss to the Medicaid Program of $1,460.00.

St Mary’s County Circuit Court Judge C. Clarke Raley sentenced Ms. Arbogast to a six-month sentence with all but 30 days suspended. She was also ordered to pay restitution in the full amount of the loss. At the time of sentencing she paid $1,340 and was given 90 days to pay the remaining $120 or face the entire six month sentence. She left court in the custody of the Sheriff’s Office to begin serving her sentence.

This case was prosecuted by the Attorney General Medicaid Fraud Control Unit which has Statewide jurisdiction to prosecute health care providers who defraud Medicaid and cases of vulnerable adult abuse and neglect.