OHIO — Nine Medicaid providers and one recipient have been indicted for allegedly stealing a combined $478,000 from the state’s health care program for the needy.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
The indictments were filed this month in Franklin County Common Pleas Court following investigations by the Ohio Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, according to Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s Office.
The cases include allegations of kickback schemes, overbilling and billing for services while providers were working other jobs or traveling out of state.
TRENDING STORIES:
- Driver leaves scene after hitting man, 2 cars in Dayton neighborhood, police say
- Dayton Arcade announces opening date for retail marketplace
- Dillard’s sets opening date for Beavercreek location
Yost warned that the state would continue to monitor the program for illegal activity.
“This February, remember: Love may be blind, but our investigators see just fine,” Yost said. “If you flirt with fraud, your next date will be with a judge.”
The following people were indicted:
- Destiny Allen, 26, of Cleveland, was indicted for Medicaid fraud after investigators determined that $108,983 was improperly paid to her for overbilling from 2023 to 2025.
- Cheryl Austin, 53, of East Cleveland, was charged after investigators calculated a $11,025 loss to Medicaid. The investigation found several dates where Austin called off work but was billed for services.
- Jennifer Cavinee, 45, of Kenton, is accused of billing for services she did not provide, leading to a $6,660 loss for Medicaid between September 2023 and February 2025.
- Jai Dhungel, 40, of Hamilton, is accused of fraudulent billing for services that were not provided. Approximately $120,268 was fraudulently billed to Medicaid.
- Shelmeta Drewery, 38, of Cleveland, allegedly billed for several dates she didn’t work between January 2023 and July 2025. This resulted in a total loss to Medicaid of $4,390.
- Jessica Fitzpatrick, 46, of South Point, allegedly kept billing Medicaid after she stopped providing services to a client, resulting in a $3,891 loss.
- Dejoire McAlpine, 35, of Strongsville, was indicted for Medicaid fraud and theft after investigators calculated a $6,587 loss to Medicaid. He allegedly billed for services and hours that were not provided.
- Chrishawn McClendon, 38, of Streetsboro, and William Jackson, 40, of Cleveland, allegedly engaged in a kickback scheme that resulted in a $212,339 loss to Medicaid.
- Tonya Ware, 60, of Warren, allegedly billed for services between May 2024 and June 2025 while traveling, which totaled in a loss to $4,072 Medicaid.
The Medicaid Fraud Control Unit operates within the Health Care Fraud Section and is tasked with prosecuting providers who defraud the state.
[SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
©2026 Cox Media Group
