Mt. Pleasant woman sentenced in $2 million healthcare fraud scheme

CHARLESTON, SC (WCSC) - A Mount Pleasant speech therapist was sentenced to nine years in prison for fraud and identity theft, the U.S. District Attorney’s Office says.

Gena Randolph, 44, was convicted by a federal judge on one count of health care fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft, and three counts of making false statements relating to health care matters, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Lance Crick said.

The convictions come after what the U.S. Attorney’s Office called a health care fraud scheme totaling almost $2 million dollars over nearly five years.

She was prohibited to provide services in 2012 after she issued false claims to the state’s Medicaid program, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Lance Crick said. Investigators say Randolph disguised her identity and continued to work for the Palmetto Speech and Language Associates and Per Diem Healthcare Services until 2017.

U.S. District Attorney Sherri Lydon says this case should be a warning sign to healthcare providers.

“When providers like Ms. Randolph break the rules, American taxpayers are forced to bear the cost,” Lydon said. “Her sentence will help recover that cost and discourage fraudulent billing by other providers in the future.”

In addition to the 111-month prison sentence, Randolph was ordered to pay $580,937.44.