A 47-year-old Mt. Pleasant woman is facing five felony counts after being bound over for trial in Ingham County’s 30th Circuit Court on August 5 in connection with alleged Medicaid fraud, state officials said.
Claudia Payne was charged following an investigation by the Health Care Fraud Division of the Michigan Department of Attorney General.
Prosecutors allege that between October 2023 and November 2024, Payne received state Medicaid payments to provide home caretaking services for an elderly disabled man living in Mt. Pleasant.
Investigators claim Payne accepted the funds but failed to perform the caretaking duties, leaving the man in a state of severe neglect.
Each count of Medicaid Fraud — False Claim carries a maximum penalty of up to four years in prison.
The charges against Payne stem from a broader law enforcement operation led by the U.S. Department of Justice known as the National Health Care Fraud Takedown, an annual nationwide effort aimed at uncovering and prosecuting health care fraud schemes.
“Medicaid funding exists to care for those in need, not line the pockets of caregivers who abandon them,” Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said in a statement announcing the court action. “This case is a prime example of the essential work of my Health Care Fraud Division in protecting Michigan residents and safeguarding the integrity of this vital program. I am pleased these charges are moving forward to trial.”
Court records indicate a pretrial date in the 30th Circuit Court has not yet been scheduled.
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