Charles McKinley Griffin, 55, Tika Michelle Griffin, 48, and Kirk Nathan Evans, 54, all of Lancaster, have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Charles and Tika Griffin owned and operated a business called Transformation Services. Transformation Services purported to provide behavioral health services to Medicaid beneficiaries.
Transformation Services worked together to recruit beneficiaries from disadvantaged backgrounds, sign the beneficiaries up as clients, and then submit bills and records to the State of South Carolina for behavioral health services that were never rendered.
The conspirators also provided services by unlicensed counselors in violation of the law. Through this scheme, Transformation Services defrauded the state Medicaid program of at least $246,335.12.
The Transformation Services scheme came after Charles Griffin was barred from serving as a provider in the Medicaid program following an investigation into a similar potential scheme through a different entity.
Following that action by the state, Transformation Services was established with Tika Griffin, Charles Griffin’s spouse, as the president of Transformation Services, and with Charles Griffin given no formal role in the organizing documents.
Each defendant faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. They also face a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, and three years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment.
