A former scheduler of Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) at an Illinois nursing and rehabilitation facility pleaded guilty in federal court to fraud charges in connection with the hiring and payment of “ghost” employees who never actually worked at the facility. Alisha Richardson pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343, in the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. In pleading guilty, the defendant admitted that, from roughly October 2017 through April 2019, she was employed as a CNA scheduler at a nursing and rehabilitation facility in Forest Park that provided medical benefits and services to patients.
While employed at the facility, Richardson planned, organized, and executed a scheme to defraud the facility by making it appear that at least five individuals were employed at the facility when they were not (the “ghost” employees). Richardson submitted false time sheets and other documents, causing the facility to generate paychecks for these “ghost” employees. Richardson then split the proceeds with the “ghost” employees or forged their signatures, signing over the paychecks to herself. As a result of the fraud, the facility paid approximately $103,094.01 for work that was never performed. In the plea agreement, the defendant agreed to the entry of a forfeiture judgment for that amount.
