Posted on 09/29/2021 1:46:25 PM PDT by gattaca
LANSING, Mich. (WILX) - A Niles couple faces up to a combined 156 years in prison for alleged false claims through their counseling practice, according to Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel.
Gregory Barney is a licensed marriage and family counselor and the owner of Highland Counseling Center located in Niles, Michigan. His wife, Jacquelyn Barney, is the office manager, administrator, and biller for the business.
According to Nessel, Jacquelyn Barney also worked as a biller for a separate local medical office. While there, she allegedly obtained patient information and billed Medicaid for fake counseling sessions by Gregory and the Highland Counseling Center. When contacted, the clients said they never met Gregory or received any counseling from him.
“Billing Medicaid for services never provided takes valuable public resources away from those who need it,” Nessel said. “My Health Care Fraud Division will continue to investigate and pursue allegations of fraud in this critical program.”
Gregory was charged with 22 counts of Medicaid fraud, Jacquelyn was charged with 17 counts of Medicaid fraud, each a four-year felony. If convicted, they face up to a combined 156 years in prison.
Jacquelyn and Gregory Barney are charged in the 54B District Court in Ingham County. They were arrested yesterday, Sept. 28.
Arraignments are scheduled for Oct. 13 at 9 a.m. before Judge Richard Ball.
My old stomping ground (Michiana). For some reason Niles always produced some real freakin dirtbag’s.
They must not have donated to enough Democrats
Tommy Shaw of Styx is from Niles.
Did not know that.
I think you may be confusing him with someone else...
Born: September 11, 1953 (age 68)
Montgomery, Alabama, United States
“Tommy Shaw was born in Montgomery, Alabama, and played with many local bands in his early years. He left Montgomery after attending Robert E. Lee High School to join The Smoke Ring and then MSFunk, a Chicago-managed outfit that he played with for three years, which gave him a chance to be noticed by Styx during a two-week club gig in Chicago. After MSFunk disbanded, he went back to Montgomery to join a local group called Harvest with his childhood friends.”
. . . at least not the right Democrats.
You’re right.
Thanks for correction.
Bold italic is the key.
Fools should have got elected first.
If guilty, these people need punishment. Given what they’re sentencing for murder these days, I’d say that 156 years for billing fraud sounds excessive.
Hefty fine and 20 years each.
Heck, I’ve seen manslaughter at 8 years...and murder for 15!
It is heartening to see that there are investigators looking for Medicare Fraud. It must be more common than we think.
156 year sentence.
It coulda been life, though.
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