Milwaukee Woman Accused of Using Medicaid Fraud Dollars to Buy Kitt's Custard
Prosecutors say Debbie Long inflated Medicaid claims and used PPP funds to buy a Mercedes-Benz, a car wash and a frozen custard shop.
- On Tuesday, prosecutors charged 44-year-old Milwaukee resident Debbie Long with defrauding Wisconsin Medicaid of nearly $2.2 million. The Wisconsin Department of Justice alleges Long billed the state for services her company, Pinnacle Home Health Care LLC, never actually provided.
- From March 2017 to August 2022, Pinnacle Home Health Care LLC submitted claims for "impossible or improbable hours of service," including care for members hospitalized or incarcerated. Investigators identified at least $2.1 million in fraudulent Medicaid reimbursements for services never performed.
- Long allegedly obtained a $219,072 Paycheck Protection Program loan by falsely inflating her workforce to 120 employees. Prosecutors say she used roughly $709,000 from the fraud to purchase Kitt's Frozen Custard, a Mercedes-Benz AMG S63, and an Octopus Car Wash.
- If convicted of all charges, Long faces more than 58 years in prison and up to $135,000 in fines. Attorney General Josh Kaul stated, "Public benefit programs rely upon tax dollars to provide critical services," underscoring the need to protect program integrity.
- Long is scheduled to make her initial court appearance in July facing charges including theft by fraud and money laundering. Experts note fraud cases increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, with some individuals diversifying into PPP schemes as additional opportunities.
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WJFW NewsWatch 12
State charges Milwaukee provider with Medicaid fraud exceeding $2 million
A Milwaukee provider of personal care services has been charged with bilking Wisconsin’s Medicaid program of almost $2.2 million, the state Department of Justice announced Wednesday. Debbie Long, 44, was charged with billing Medicaid for services that didn’t take place,…
Milwaukee woman accused of using Medicaid fraud dollars to buy Kitt's Custard
MILWAUKEE A Milwaukee woman is accused of defrauding Wisconsin Medicaid to the tune of $2.2 million and using some of that money to buy Kitt's Frozen Custard, according to a criminal complaint filed Tuesday in Milwaukee County Circuit Court.Debbie Long, 44, has been charged with theft by fraud, fraud against a financial institution, wire fraud against a financial institution, and two counts of money laundering.A criminal complaint accuses Long o…
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