(WXIN/WTTV) 13 Indiana residents have been arrested and charged in what the FBI and U.S. Justice Department are calling the “largest healthcare fraud investigation” in DOJ history.

The DOJ announced on Monday the completion of its yearly National Health Care Fraud Takedown. Officials said this year they uncovered fraud schemes involving over $14.6 billion in intended loss, making it the largest DOJ investigation of its kind.

324 people were charged in total, including 96 doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other licensed professionals.

Of the 324 charged, 13 are Hoosiers. Officials charged 11 residents of Indiana in state court and two other defendants in federal court. Their cases vary from veterinarian fraud to the sale of prescription opioids on the black market.

Fake dogs used for vet prescriptions

One of the two Hoosiers who was federally indicted in the crackdown is Rachel Goldstein, a 43-year-old Jeffersonville woman.

Goldstein was charged in the Western District of Kentucky with conspiracy to obtain controlled substances by fraud. Two Kentucky-based veterinarians, Ashley Barnett and Laura Webb, were also charged in the case.

Court documents detail how Goldstein conspired with doctors to get prescribed over 25,000 Schedule II controlled substances, including oxycodone and hydrocodone. While Goldstein said they were for various pet dogs, some of them dead or fictitious, in reality she was the recipient.

Furthermore, Goldstein was charged with health care fraud in connection with a scheme where she reportedly used fake prescriptions of dextroamphetamine and then sold the drug back to the doctor who prescribed it. These prescriptions were submitted as Medicaid claims.

Black market opioid scam

The second Hoosier federally charged in the crackdown is 53-year-old Evelyn Onukwube, a licensed pharmacist who allegedly stole half a million opioids and sold them on the black market.

A Noblesville resident, Onukwube was indicted in the Southern District of Texas and charged with conspiracy to and illegal distribution of a controlled substance. Trevor L. Cherry of Houston and Douglas Parks III of Katy, Texas, were also indicted in the case.

Court documents claim Onukwube and the two Texans used Houston-area pharmacies as fronts, eventually selling opioids with an estimated street value of at least $8 million to drug dealers.

Onukwube, who served as pharmacist-in-charge at the subject pharmacies, allegedly facilitated the scheme by ordering opioids and other commonly abused prescription drugs. Investigators say Parks and Cherry would then take the drugs and sell them on the black market.

11 people charged in Indiana

In addition to the federal indictments, 13 other Indiana residents were hit with State charges in connection to the investigation.

• Nathaniel Stimpson, 34, of Decatur
  • Position: Registered Nurse
  • Charges: Obtaining a controlled substance by fraud (2 counts) and theft (16 counts)
  • Allegations: “It is alleged that Stimpson, while working for Eleos Hospice Care, stole medication from patients and obtained controlled substances for his own use.”
• Billy Guthrie, 48, of Knightstown
  • Position: Registered Nurse
  • Charges: Obtaining a controlled substance by fraud and furnishing false information
  • Allegations: “It is alleged that Guthrie, while working for Greenfield Healthcare Center, diverted medication from patients and obtained controlled substances for his own use.“
• Sheri Hapner, 53, of Middlebury
  • Position: Licensed Practical Nurse
  • Charges: Obtaining a controlled substance by fraud, failure to keep record and furnishing false information
  • Allegations: “It is alleged that Hapner, while working at the Waters of LaGrange, diverted medication from patients, failed to properly document medication, documented false information, or obtained controlled substances for her own use.“
• Jennifer Brant, 62, of New Haven
  • Position: Licensed Home Health Aide
  • Charges: Fraud and theft
  • Allegations: “Brant is alleged to have submitted claims for personal attendant care services provided to an in-home patient that were not actually provided.”
• Tara Brown, 43, of Fort Wayne
  • Position: In-home personal care attendant
  • Charges: Fraud and theft
  • Allegations: “Brown is alleged to have submitted claims for personal attendant care services provided to multiple in-home patients that were not actually provided.”
• Lindsay Plake, 40, of Elwood
  • Position: Qualified Medication Aide
  • Charges: Obtaining a controlled substance by fraud, failure to keep record and furnishing false information
  • Allegations: “Plake, while working in an assisted living facility, is alleged to have stolen prescribed medications from multiple residents of that facility.”
• Catherine Grimes, 66, of Greencastle
  • Position: Registered Nurse
  • Charges: Obtaining a controlled substance by fraud (5 counts) and failure to keep record
  • Allegations: “Grimes is alleged to have acquired multiple types of prescribed controlled substances from multiple inpatients of an Indianapolis recovery center.”
• Christy Orwig, 58, of Madison
  • Position: Registered Nurse
  • Charges: Obtaining a controlled substance by fraud, illegal possession of a narcotic drug, failure to keep record and furnishing false information
  • Allegations: “It is alleged that Orwig, while working at a nursing home, dispensed patient narcotics for her own personal use on various occasions.”
• Jenny Byrd, 41, of Oakland City
  • Position: Qualified Medication Aide
  • Charges: Obtaining a controlled substance by fraud, illegal possession of a narcotic drug and failure to keep record
  • Allegations: “It is alleged that Byrd, while employed at a nursing home, diverted narcotic drugs intended for patients for her own personal use and admitted to it.”
• Kayla Bell, 35, of Newburgh
  • Position: Licensed Practical Nurse
  • Charges: Obstructing prescription delivery and obtaining a controlled substance by fraud
  • Allegations: “It is alleged that Bell, while working at a nursing home, diverted patient narcotics for her own use, including signing out drugs for a patient without an active prescription, and admitted to it.”
• Patrice Amos, 44, of Avon
  • Position: Registered Nurse
  • Charges: Obtaining a controlled substance by fraud, illegal possession of a narcotic drug and failure to keep record
  • Allegations: “It is alleged that Amos, while working at a nursing home, diverted narcotic drugs intended for facility patients for her own personal use.“

Dezarae Polinske, a 30-year-old RN from Elkhart, Wisconsin, was also charged in Marion County with obtaining a controlled substance by fraud and furnishing false information. While working at Ascension St. Vincent Hospital, Polinske allegedly diverted medication for her own use.

Official responses

In a post on social media Monday, FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino said he and Director Kash Patel will “vigorously pursue bad actors” who violated their medical oaths.

“Results matter. Talk is cheap,” Bongino said. “And this is not even the beginning of the beginning. If you’re stealing from the public, or violating your oath to serve, then we’re coming for you too.”

Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita echoed these sentiments in a statement of his own.

“Medicaid is a critical lifeline for Hoosiers, and we have zero tolerance for those who abuse it for personal gain,” he said. “Our committed team tirelessly pursues accountability for those who defraud the system, ensuring justice for our taxpayers, preserving essential resources, and ensuring the proper use of controlled substances to protect patients.” 

Rokita said in his statement that the Indiana Medicaid Fraud Control Unit receives 75% of its funding from HHS under a federal grant. The other 25% is funded by the State.