Linda Thomas and her company, Gateway of Willamette Valley, LLC, face charges of theft and making false claims for health care payments. Prosecutors allege Thomas, through her company, billed Medicaid for day support services that were never actually provided to recipients.

The charges were filed by the Benton County District Attorney and include at least one count of making a false claim for health care payment, a Class C felony under Oregon law. Further charges may be filed over time.

Part of a Statewide, Federal Fraud Crackdown

Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield announced new criminal charges Tuesday against four people the state alleges stole taxpayer money and victimized vulnerable Oregonians by filing fraudulent Medicaid reimbursement claims.

Rayfield’s announcement coincided with the federal government pressing Medicaid fraud charges against more than 450 people. In Oregon, each of the new cases involved providers investigated by the state’s 22-person Medicaid Fraud Unit of investigators, auditors, attorneys and data analysts.

“At its core, combating Medicaid fraud is about fighting for working families, protecting vulnerable Oregonians and holding bad actors accountable when they take advantage of taxpayer dollars,” Rayfield said at a press conference.

None of the defendants in the recently filed cases Rayfield highlighted Tuesday have yet listed defense attorneys on the state’s court information system, and none responded to calls to publicly listed phone...

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