(WXIN/WTTV) — 13 Indiana residents person been arrested and charged successful what the FBI and U.S. Justice Department are calling the "largest healthcare fraud investigation" successful DOJ history.

The DOJ announced connected Monday the completion of its yearly National Health Care Fraud Takedown. Officials said this twelvemonth they uncovered fraud schemes involving implicit $14.6 cardinal successful intended loss, making it the largest DOJ probe of its kind.

324 radical were charged successful total, including 96 doctors, nurses, pharmacists and different licensed professionals.

Of the 324 charged, 13 are Hoosiers. Officials charged 11 residents of Indiana successful authorities tribunal and 2 different defendants successful national court. Their cases alteration from veterinarian fraud to the merchantability of medicine opioids connected the achromatic market.

Fake dogs utilized for vet prescriptions

One of the 2 Hoosiers who was federally indicted successful the crackdown is Rachel Goldstein, a 43-year-old Jeffersonville woman.

Goldstein was charged successful the Western District of Kentucky with conspiracy to get controlled substances by fraud. Two Kentucky-based veterinarians, Ashley Barnett and Laura Webb, were besides charged successful the case.

Court documents item however Goldstein conspired with doctors to get prescribed implicit 25,000 Schedule II controlled substances, including oxycodone and hydrocodone. While Goldstein said they were for assorted favored dogs, immoderate of them dormant oregon fictitious, successful world she was the recipient.

Furthermore, Goldstein was charged with wellness attraction fraud successful transportation with a strategy wherever she reportedly utilized fake prescriptions of dextroamphetamine and past sold the cause backmost to the doc who prescribed it. These prescriptions were submitted arsenic Medicaid claims.

Black marketplace opioid scam

The 2nd Hoosier federally charged successful the crackdown is 53-year-old Evelyn Onukwube, a licensed pharmacist who allegedly stole fractional a cardinal opioids and sold them connected the achromatic market.

A Noblesville resident, Onukwube was indicted successful the Southern District of Texas and charged with conspiracy to and amerciable organisation of a controlled substance. Trevor L. Cherry of Houston and Douglas Parks III of Katy, Texas, were besides indicted successful the case.

Court documents assertion Onukwube and the 2 Texans utilized Houston-area pharmacies arsenic fronts, yet selling opioids with an estimated thoroughfare worth of astatine slightest $8 cardinal to cause dealers.

Onukwube, who served arsenic pharmacist-in-charge astatine the taxable pharmacies, allegedly facilitated the strategy by ordering opioids and different commonly abused medicine drugs. Investigators accidental Parks and Cherry would past instrumentality the drugs and merchantability them connected the achromatic market.

11 radical charged successful Indiana

In summation to the national indictments, 13 different Indiana residents were deed with State charges successful transportation to the investigation.

• Nathaniel Stimpson, 34, of Decatur
  • Position: Registered Nurse
  • Charges: Obtaining a controlled substance by fraud (2 counts) and theft (16 counts)
  • Allegations: "It is alleged that Stimpson, portion moving for Eleos Hospice Care, stole medicine from patients and obtained controlled substances for his ain use."
• Billy Guthrie, 48, of Knightstown
  • Position: Registered Nurse
  • Charges: Obtaining a controlled substance by fraud and furnishing mendacious information
  • Allegations: "It is alleged that Guthrie, portion moving for Greenfield Healthcare Center, diverted medicine from patients and obtained controlled substances for his ain use."
• Sheri Hapner, 53, of Middlebury
  • Position: Licensed Practical Nurse
  • Charges: Obtaining a controlled substance by fraud, failure to support record and furnishing mendacious information
  • Allegations: "It is alleged that Hapner, portion moving astatine the Waters of LaGrange, diverted medicine from patients, failed to decently papers medication, documented mendacious information, oregon obtained controlled substances for her ain use."
• Jennifer Brant, 62, of New Haven
  • Position: Licensed Home Health Aide
  • Charges: Fraud and theft
  • Allegations: "Brant is alleged to person submitted claims for idiosyncratic attendant attraction services provided to an in-home diligent that were not really provided."
• Tara Brown, 43, of Fort Wayne
  • Position: In-home idiosyncratic attraction attendant
  • Charges: Fraud and theft
  • Allegations: "Brown is alleged to person submitted claims for idiosyncratic attendant attraction services provided to aggregate in-home patients that were not really provided."
• Lindsay Plake, 40, of Elwood
  • Position: Qualified Medication Aide
  • Charges: Obtaining a controlled substance by fraud, failure to support record and furnishing mendacious information
  • Allegations: "Plake, portion moving successful an assisted surviving facility, is alleged to person stolen prescribed medications from aggregate residents of that facility."
• Catherine Grimes, 66, of Greencastle
  • Position: Registered Nurse
  • Charges: Obtaining a controlled substance by fraud (5 counts) and failure to support record
  • Allegations: "Grimes is alleged to person acquired aggregate types of prescribed controlled substances from aggregate inpatients of an Indianapolis betterment center."
• Christy Orwig, 58, of Madison
  • Position: Registered Nurse
  • Charges: Obtaining a controlled substance by fraud, amerciable possession of a narcotic drug, nonaccomplishment to support record and furnishing mendacious information
  • Allegations: "It is alleged that Orwig, portion moving astatine a nursing home, dispensed diligent narcotics for her ain idiosyncratic usage connected assorted occasions."
• Jenny Byrd, 41, of Oakland City
  • Position: Qualified Medication Aide
  • Charges: Obtaining a controlled substance by fraud, amerciable possession of a narcotic drug and nonaccomplishment to support record
  • Allegations: "It is alleged that Byrd, portion employed astatine a nursing home, diverted narcotic drugs intended for patients for her ain idiosyncratic usage and admitted to it."
• Kayla Bell, 35, of Newburgh
  • Position: Licensed Practical Nurse
  • Charges: Obstructing medicine delivery and obtaining a controlled substance by fraud
  • Allegations: "It is alleged that Bell, portion moving astatine a nursing home, diverted diligent narcotics for her ain use, including signing retired drugs for a diligent without an progressive prescription, and admitted to it."
• Patrice Amos, 44, of Avon
  • Position: Registered Nurse
  • Charges: Obtaining a controlled substance by fraud, amerciable possession of a narcotic drug and nonaccomplishment to support record
  • Allegations: "It is alleged that Amos, portion moving astatine a nursing home, diverted narcotic drugs intended for installation patients for her ain idiosyncratic use."

Dezarae Polinske, a 30-year-old RN from Elkhart, Wisconsin, was besides charged successful Marion County with obtaining a controlled substance by fraud and furnishing mendacious information. While moving astatine Ascension St. Vincent Hospital, Polinske allegedly diverted medicine for her ain use.

Official responses

In a station connected societal media Monday, FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino said helium and Director Kash Patel volition "vigorously prosecute atrocious actors" who violated their aesculapian oaths.

"Results matter. Talk is cheap," Bongino said. "And this is not adjacent the opening of the beginning. If you’re stealing from the public, oregon violating your oath to serve, past we’re coming for you too."

Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita echoed these sentiments successful a connection of his own.

"Medicaid is simply a captious lifeline for Hoosiers, and we person zero tolerance for those who maltreatment it for idiosyncratic gain," helium said. "Our committed squad tirelessly pursues accountability for those who defraud the system, ensuring justness for our taxpayers, preserving indispensable resources, and ensuring the due usage of controlled substances to support patients." 

Rokita said successful his connection that the Indiana Medicaid Fraud Control Unit receives 75% of its backing from HHS nether a national grant. The different 25% is funded by the State.