Terrance Barnard and Connie Jo Clampitt have been indicted on federal charges related to a scheme to bill insurance companies for $7 million in COVID-19 tests that were never performed. The indictment includes charges of healthcare fraud, conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering, as well as aggravated identity theft. If convicted, the two face up to ten years in federal prison for each count. Law enforcement have seized $1.5 million as part of the investigation, along with a 1965 Ford Mustang, a Ford Shelby GT, a Lexus SUV, and a 22-year-old Pontiac Grand Am. U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton has stated that “schemes to financially exploit the system when providers and insurers are facing these monumental challenges must be dismantled, and those responsible must be held to account.”
The indictment only serves as an allegation, and Barnard and Clampitt are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court. As the pandemic continues, fraudulent activity is on the rise, and similar cases involving false claims of procuring COVID-19 tests and bundling medically unnecessary lab tests are being charged against other individuals. It is important to remember that fraud is a serious crime, and those found guilty of these charges should be held accountable.