COLUMBUS — An Ashville woman is among nine Medicaid providers facing criminal charges after a sweeping investigation by the Ohio Attorney General’s Office revealed over $181,000 in stolen taxpayer funds.
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced the indictments this week, targeting eight providers accused of theft and a ninth charged with stealing a client’s debit card. Among those named in the Franklin County indictments is 23-year-old Hannah Browning of Ashville.
The Case Against Hannah Browning
Investigators with the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit began looking into Browning after a relative of one of her clients reported discrepancies in her timesheets.
The investigation allegedly uncovered that between August 2023 and January 2025, Browning billed the state for services she never provided. In addition to phantom billing, she is accused of claiming “overlapping services”—effectively billing for being in two places at once to care for multiple clients.
According to the Attorney General’s office, the total loss to the Medicaid program attributed to Browning’s actions is $10,086.
“Trickle or a Flood”
The statewide crackdown revealed a variety of fraudulent tactics, ranging from providers billing for care while their clients were traveling abroad or hospitalized, to one home-health aide who admitted to sleeping through her shifts.
“Whether fraud is a trickle or a flood, our mission remains the same: Protect Medicaid dollars and hold thieves accountable,” Yost said. “Our investigative team stands guard to ensure that every provider plays by the rules.”
Other Notable Indictments
While Browning’s case is central to the Ashville community, other significant charges were filed across the state:
- Alice Toole (Reynoldsburg): Faces the most serious charges, including involuntary manslaughter and patient endangerment. She is accused of overbilling Medicaid by $28,818 and leaving a 15-year-old client unattended for hours; the child later died.
- Antonia Geiter (Mentor): Allegedly stole $63,941 by billing 16-hour workdays while video evidence showed she rarely visited the client.
- Aletta Cephus (Akron): Admitted to billing for shifts during which she was actually sleeping because she was “exhausted” from other jobs.
The Ohio Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, which investigated these cases, works to root out providers who defraud the state and protect vulnerable adults from abuse and neglect.
Indictments are criminal allegations. All defendants, including Browning, are presumed innocent unless proved guilty in a court of law.
Medicaid Fraud Takedown: At-A-Glance
Total Stolen: $181,512
Total Indicted: 9 Providers
Ashville Focus: Hannah Browning ($10,086 allegedly stolen)
Agency: Ohio Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit
