Former business owners to face federal charges

A Sparta woman and a Jonesville woman are each facing federal charges of conspiring to commit health care fraud and 16 counts of committing health care fraud.

According to a press release and accompanying indictment from the U.S. Department of Justice, charged are 32-year-old Kimberly Miles of Sparta and 38-year-old Kristie Brake of Jonesville. The two served as co-owners of Heritage Home Care, which was once located in downtown Sparta, from April 2003 and January 2007.

If convicted, Miles and Brake could face up to 10 years in prison for the conspiracy count and up to 10 years for each of the 16 individual counts of health care fraud, for a total maximum sentence of 170 years. The release also pointed out the indictment includes finding of probable cause and a notice of forfeiture "that the defendants forfeit to the United States all the property involved in the offenses with which they are charged in the indictment, and all property traceable to such offenses, including but not limited to the sum of approximately $624,218."

An indictment on the matter was filed April 22 in Charlotte. It noted that Miles and Brake were approved to serve as Medicaid-authorized providers of personal care services (PCS) and, as such, were able to submit claims for reimbursement for PCS provided to Medicaid recipients.