A Long Pond woman is one of 15 people charged across seven Pennsylvania counties in a statewide Medicaid fraud sweep.

Lenor Grier, 61, was charged in Luzerne County with Medicaid fraud, theft by deception, and tampering with public records for billing for services she did not provide, according to Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro.

A case manager, Grier was required to meet face-to-face with mentally-handicapped clients to assist with linking them to community resources required for their daily living. Grier billed Medicaid $3,100 for hours that the attorney general’s office alleges she was not meeting with clients.

Grier was paid around $16 per hour at the time.

According to an affidavit of probable cause, the fraudulent time sheet submissions happened between Aug. 31, 2015, and Jan. 13, 2017.

The charges, arising out of 12 investigations, identified more than $237,000 in fraudulent reimbursements paid by Pennsylvania’s Medicaid Program. The initiative was coordinated by the Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Justice Department.

“These Medicaid fraud cases involve 15 defendants who stole tax dollars, falsified records for care they were supposed to provide, and lied for personal gain,” Shapiro said. “Medicaid provides essential medical care to low-income Pennsylvanians and children with serious medical conditions. Criminals who defraud Medicaid are stealing from our most vulnerable Pennsylvanians. I’m holding them accountable.”

The cases are being prosecuted by attorneys in the Medicaid Fraud Control Section.