North Carolina Speech Pathologist Pleads Guilty to False Medicaid Claims

RALEIGH, N.C.—A speech pathologist from Charlotte, N.C., pleaded guilty to filing fraudulent Medicaid claims May 8 (United States v. Washington).

Federal prosecutors April 16 charged Junelle Gist Washington, also known as Eunice Gist, with submitting claims for speech therapy services to the North Carolina Medicaid program for services not provided. Prosecutors said that from November 2006 to February 2011, Washington submitted about $360,229 in fraudulent claims.

Washington pleaded guilty to a single false claims charge (18 U.S.C. Section 1347). She faces up to 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.

Following Washington’s ...