A St. Louis business owner was indicted on Oct. 30 by a federal grand jury after allegedly defrauding Missouri Medicaid out of more than $3 million over a decade.

Camille S. Childress was indicted on four counts of health care fraud. The indictment says Childress owned Inspiring Angels LLC, a home care company based in Hazelwood, Missouri, but concealed her ownership from state officials due to a previous criminal conviction.

Childress allegedly submitted documentation claiming that someone else owned the company, according to the indictment. It also alleges that Childress submitted or caused fraudulent claims to be submitted to Missouri Medicaid seeking reimbursement for home care services that were never provided.

In some cases, the care recipients were in the hospital and could not have received care, the indictment states. On numerous other occasions, Childress or Inspiring Angels is accused of submitting claims when the company did not have timesheet records or documentation of the services because the services that were the subject of those claims were never provided.

Charges outlined in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt.

Each fraud charge carries a potential penalty of up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both.

“The alleged fraudulent enrollment and submission of false claims by this business owner to Medicaid undermines the integrity of the program and diverts essential resources from those who genuinely need assistance,” Linda T. Hanley, special agent in charge with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), said in a press release. “HHS-OIG will continue collaborating with the Missouri Medicaid Fraud Control Unit to combat home health care fraud in Medicaid, ensuring the program remains sustainable for those who truly depend on it.”