Three women charged with defrauding state agency
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Three women were arraigned Thursday before District Judge Robert Redlinger on charges of violating the terms of the Attendant Care Services Act by submitting fraudulent requests for payment from the state Department of Public Welfare.
Charged by the state attorney general’s office were Emily A. Hersh, 22, of Masontown; Crissy Watters, 39, of New Salem; and Lori K. Wheatley, 41, of 113 Luella Ave., Charleroi.
Watters was to be caring for Wheatley under the provider care act. The two reportedly conspired to submit time sheets and then split paychecks between November 2010 and this February, according to court documents filed at Redlinger’s office.
Watters reportedly held several jobs while claiming to be assisting Wheatley. She would withdraw money from her payroll card and either give Wheatley some of the money or deposit it in the Charleroi woman’s bank account.
During a Feb. 21 undercover operation overseen by an agent with the attorney general’s office, $345 in marked bills was given to Waters, who handed the money over to Wheatley, who tucked the bills in her purse and bra.
Investigators claim that Wheatley illegally received $36,475 while Watters received $23,146.
Hersh submitted time sheets indicating that she was caring for her grandfather from January through June 2012, when she was actually working for a retailer. Investigators determined there were a number of times that time overlapped between when she was supposed to be caring for her grandfather and working at her job. She illegally received $3,571.
Watters, who is charged with unentitled reimbursement, is free on her own recognizance. Wheatley is charged with submitting a false medical assistance claim, submitting claim for services not rendered, unentitled reimbursement and two counts of theft by deception. Hersh is charged with submitting claim for services not rendered and theft by deception. Wheatley and Hersh were released on $10,000 unsecured bond.
All three women are scheduled for a preliminary hearing April 9 before Redlinger.