Nevada Attorney General Aaron D. Ford announced the sentencing of Camille Funches, Rodshiekka Chester, and their company, Building Resilience LLC, in a Medicaid fraud case. They were found guilty of fraudulently billing Medicaid for services not provided between January and December 2020.
Senior District Court Judge Michael Villani sentenced Funches, Chester, and Building Resilience for submitting false claims in Medicaid fraud, a category “D” felony. Both individuals received sentences of 19 to 48 months in prison, suspended, with two years of probation. They are also required to repay $1 million to Medicaid as restitution for the improperly obtained funds.
“There has been a lot of talk about fraud and waste in government lately. I’m proud of our Medicaid Fraud Control Unit for finding fraud against Medicaid and making sure providers are held responsible,” said AG Ford. “My office will keep working to catch people and companies that cheat the Medicaid system. We want to make sure Medicaid money goes to people who really need these services.”
The investigation began when the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) received a referral regarding unprovided services by Building Resilience. The investigation revealed that Funches and Chester were aware that billed services were not rendered as claimed to Medicaid. Interviews with recipients confirmed discrepancies between billed services and those actually provided.
The MFCU is responsible for investigating financial fraud by healthcare service providers to Medicaid patients as well as instances of elder abuse or neglect. It receives 75% of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through grants, with the remaining 25% funded by the State of Nevada.
This case was investigated by the Attorney General’s MFCU and prosecuted by Senior Deputy Attorney General Steve Sidhu.
Individuals wishing to report suspected Medicaid fraud can contact the MFCU at 702-486-3420 or 775-684-1100.
