(St Paul) – Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced that his office has obtained convictions against the former operator of a home care nursing agency in Worthington who defrauded Minnesota’s Medical Assistance (Medicaid) program of more than $1.8 million.

Following a five-day trial — and after deliberating for just over two hours — a Nobles County jury found Remona Lysa Brown guilty of 14 felony counts of aiding and abetting theft by false representation. Brown was the sole managing employee of the Minnesota branch of Caring & Compassionate Healthcare Agency (CCHA), a home care nursing agency which also had a location in Lansing, Michigan.

“My office is dedicated to fighting Medicaid fraud because it’s a terrible crime: it defrauds vulnerable people of the compassionate care they deserve to live with dignity and respects, and it defrauds them and all Minnesotans of the money they pay to support that care,” Attorney General Ellison said. “I’m proud of the team that won this important conviction. It should put anyone on notice who’s even thinking about defrauding vulnerable Minnesotans and Minnesota taxpayers that we will spare no expense in holding them accountable.”

In total, nearly 6,000 fraudulent claims were submitted over a three-year period. Many of the proceeds of this fraudulent billing were deposited in bank accounts in Michigan controlled by Brown’s family members, who sent some of the proceeds back to Brown.

Immediately following the verdict, Nobles County District Judge Sherry Haley ordered Brown remanded to custody. Before sentencing, Judge Haley will consider the existence of aggravating factors sought by the State that would increase Brown’s potential sentence beyond that authorized by the Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines. Brown will be sentenced on June 24, 2021.

Ms. Brown also faces criminal charges in Michigan related to her alleged role in a criminal enterprise involving illegitimate opioid prescriptions.