A Lake County mother and daughter have been arrested on a host of charges stemming from a scheme to file bogus Medicaid transportation charges over a period of several months.
Heather Linette Steverson, 55, and 34-year-old Jessica Linette Chechile were arrested Friday afternoon in Eustis after an investigation which began last September. A man had contacted the Eustis police claiming that someone had stolen his identity to open a Wells Fargo bank account. A detective was assigned to the case and found that the account was being used to deposit checks from a company which pays drivers for transporting Medicaid patients. The victim contacted Wells Fargo and was told that Steverson had used a power of attorney in his name to open the account. The detective was able to talk to dozens of patients which the mother and daughter team had billed the Medicaid provider for transportation which never occurred. He found that Chechile even filed fake transportation claims when she was in the Lake County Jail on a drug charge. The detective spoke with several woman who had been in custody at the same time that Chechile was incarcerated. He was told by some of them that a woman was asking if any of them were on Mmedicaid. If they were she told them that she could arrange for transportation so they could see their doctors.
The Medicaid transportation company supplied several taped phone conversations in which either Steverson or her daughter were setting up transportation for patients for which they received payment but never transported any of the patients. The detective was able to document more than 1,700 incidents of medicaid fraud totaling $51,051.50. When the Eustis police executed a search warrant at the women’s home at 2011 Meadowside Drive in Eustis, they found several reimbursement logs refilled out with patients and doctors names without dates or trips scheduled. They also found several versions of durable power of attorney forms with both woman names on them, according to the arrest report.
Steverson was not at home when the search warrant was executed. She was taken into custody at her place of employment, Cody’s Fun Cafe in Mount Dora. A search of the Michigan native’s purse revealed she had 12 oxycodone pills in her purse without having a prescription for the controlled medications.
Steverson has been charged with participating in a pattern of racketeering activity, 33 counts of fraud, 33 counts of using a forged document, 13 counts of criminal use of personal identification, Medicaid theft by a recipient, grand theft as well as possessing a controlled substance with out a prescription.
Chechile has been charged with one count of Medicaid recipient fraud, 11 counts of criminal use of personal identification, 79 counts of forgery, 79 counts of uttering a forged document, organized fraud more than $50,000, unlawful use of two-way communication device, grand theft and participating in racketeering activity.
Both women were taken to the Lake County Jail. Steverson’s bond was set at $247,000 bond. Chechile had been out on bond for a drug possession charge and her bond was revoked.
