HAMPTON, Va. — A federal grand jury Thursday indicted a Hampton man and woman with conspiracy, health care fraud, false statements, and aggravated identity theft.
According to allegations in the indictment, Maurice Moody, 40, and Dena Major, 48, conspired to defraud the Virginia Medicaid program out of about $109,000. The couple planned to submit fake claims to Medicaid for their severely disabled son's care.
Major was the child’s primary caregiver and under Medicaid rules, she was also in charge of hiring a personal care aide to help in his care. Despite knowing that Medicaid does not permit the hiring of a parent to be a personal care aide, Major hired Moody to be their child’s personal care aide and falsely stated that Moody was the child’s uncle.
Moody also submitted claims for personal care hours provided to his son when Moody was incarcerated, and when he was traveling.
In September 2015, the child was removed from Major’s custody on allegations of abuse and neglect. Nonetheless, Moody and Major continued to bill Medicaid for his care from September 2015 to April 2016.
When the couple was challenged by Medicaid, they tried to use another minor to pass off as their child.
Moody and Major are each charged with conspiracy, health care fraud, false statements in a health care matter, and aggravated identity theft. If convicted, they each face a minimum of 2 years and a maximum of 44 years in prison.
