Chicago – Attorney General Kwame Raoul on Thursday, February 6, 2025, announced that a DuPage County judge sentenced a Bolingbrook, Illinois woman to prison and ordered her to pay restitution for defrauding the state out of more than $2.46 million in Medicaid funds.
The Attorney General’s office prosecuted LaTeena Smith, 38, who pleaded guilty to one count of Managed Health Care Fraud in December 2024. DuPage County Circuit Court Judge Mia McPherson sentenced Smith on Wednesday to three years in prison and ordered her to pay over $2.2 million in restitution to the state, $1.5 million of which Smith paid after being sentenced.
Smith was immediately remanded into custody to begin serving her sentence.
CHARGES…
Theft by Deception
Theft Unauthorized Control
Theft Unauthorized Control with Intent Exceeding $1 Million
Managed Health Care Fraud
Forgery
Theft by Deception with Intent to Deprive Exceeding $1 Million
“Thousands of Illinois residents rely on Medicaid to pay for their health care, and this sentence should send a clear message that anyone who defrauds Illinois’ Medicaid program will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,’ Raoul said. “My office will continue to partner with state and federal agencies to ensure those who abuse the Medicaid program and steal critical funding for their own financial benefit are held accountable to the people of Illinois.”
Smith was previously the owner of Power Positive Youth Development, a clinic located in Bolingbrook. From June 2021 to February 2023, Smith submitted fraudulent bills for psychotherapy services she did not provide to recipients of Medicaid managed care. According to Raoul’s office, Smith billed Molina Healthcare for over $978,000 and Meridian Health for over $1.5 million.
The investigation was conducted by Raoul’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services – Office of the Inspector General (HFS-OIG) and the Illinois State Police (ISP).
“This sentence is thanks to the effective, collaborative efforts with our law enforcement partners to safeguard public healthcare funds,” said Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services Acting Director Elizabeth Whitehorn. “Fraudulent Medicaid claims undermine the program, and recovering this money is critical to protecting the program’s integrity.”
“HFS-OIG remains vigilant in holding accountable those who breach the public trust and defraud Illinois’s Medicaid program,” said Brian Dunn, HFS-OIG Inspector General. “This conviction and sentencing highlight the powerful impact of collaboration between state and federal partners in safeguarding these vital resources.”
“This provider took millions of dollars from taxpayers by billing Medicaid programs for services that were not rendered to her patients,” said Mario M. Pinto, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure that vital taxpayer dollars are used lawfully and for their intended purposes, not for illegitimate financial gain.”
Raoul’s MFCU receives 75% of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant award totaling $11,309,840 for the federal government’s 2025 fiscal year. The remaining 25%, totaling $3,769,945 for the federal government’s 2025 fiscal year, is funded by the State of Illinois.
Deputy Chief of Medicaid Prosecutions Steve Krueger and Deputy Chief of Medicaid Operations Melissa Taormina Guske prosecuted the case for Raoul’s Medicaid Fraud Bureau.
Bolingbrook is located in Dupage County and Will County.
^^ MOBILE? USE VOICE MIC ^^
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