Sunshine Sentinel

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office today arrested an owner of a medical transportation service for Medicaid fraud. Sherell Breus, owner and operator of A-Time Transport LLC, submitted false claims to the Medicaid program for more than 400 fake trips to medical appointments. The scheme caused more than $50,000 in Medicaid billings. 

Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “This defendant owned and operated a transportation service claiming to help Medicaid recipients get to and from their medical appointments. Instead of helping those in need, she ripped off Florida taxpayers and the Medicaid program by creating more than 400 fake trips to appointments and causing more than $50,000 in fraudulent billings—all to be deposited in her personal bank account.” 

A-Time Transport is a subcontractor of Medical Transportation Management, which coordinates transportation services for Medicaid recipients who need help getting to and from medical appointments. According to the investigation, Breus called in to MTM as the alleged representative of a Medicaid recipient and scheduled transport appointments for the recipient. Breus then claimed those appointments as A-Time Transport, saying the company regularly provided transportation for the recipient from Tampa to Gainesville for appointments. Breus billed MTM for these appointments causing more than $50,000 in fraudulent billings. Breus had the monies deposited into a personal bank account. 

The alleged transportation services occurred over an eight-month period. However, during this time period, the Medicaid recipient was actually serving time on a criminal sentence in a work-release program in Fort Lauderdale. The investigation revealed Breus to be in a relationship with the recipient. Electronic ankle monitoring records confirmed it to be impossible for A-Time Transport to be driving the recipient for appointments in North and Central Florida. Monitoring records showed the recipient to be constantly within a 10-mile radius in South Florida.

Breus faces one count of Medicaid fraud greater than $50,000 and one count of scheme to defraud greater than $50,000, both first-degree felonies. The Office of Statewide Prosecution will prosecute this case.

Original source can be found here.