They call it the City of Brotherly Love, but Philadelphia is quickly growing a national reputation as the nation’s leading producer of fraud tourists.
Last month, the U.S. Dept. of Justice announced charges against 15 new fraud defendants, including more from Philadelphia. They noted,
Deborah Hodges, 59, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was charged by indictment with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and four counts of health care fraud, in connection with a scheme to submit $5.3 million in fraudulent claims to the Housing Stabilization Services (HSS) Program of Minnesota Medicaid, of which approximately $5.2 million was paid. As alleged in the indictment, Hodges used House of Heroes, Inc. (HOH), an HSS provider, to bill for in-person services that were never actually provided.
Hodges appeared in federal court in downtown Minneapolis yesterday to enter a not guilty plea. Your correspondent was there.
Despite the millions of dollars allegedly stolen, Hodges herself is pleading poverty. KARE-11’s A.J. Lagoe reports that Hodges is asking the federal government to pay the costs for her travel between Philadelphia and Minneapolis so that she can face justice. Her next court appearance is scheduled for July 31.
