MECKLENBURG COUNTY, N.C. — A senior social worker with the Mecklenburg County Department of Social Services was charged Thursday with receiving illegal kickbacks, according to U.S. Attorney Anne M. Tompkins.
PAST ARTICLE: Meck. Co. DSS worker pleads guilty to healthcare fraud, illegal kickbacks
Ryce Edward Hatchett Jr., 43, of Charlotte has reached a plea agreement with prosecutors, Tompkins said. He is expected to appear in federal court in the coming weeks to formally plead guilty.
In October, authorities said personal information for dozens of children was sold for cash and gifts by another DSS worker.
- Meck. Co. DSS worker pleads guilty to healthcare fraud, illegal kickbacks
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According to court documents, while working at DSS from November 2009 to October, Hatchett participated in an illegal kickback scheme with Ronnie Lorenzo Robinson, owner and operator of Peaceful Alternative Resources Inc., a nonprofit mental health and mentoring services provider with offices in Charlotte and surrounding areas.
Court records indicate that Hatchett solicited and received illegal kickbacks from Robinson and PAR in exchange for the referrals of individuals enrolled with the Medicaid program, some of whom were DSS clients.
Court records show that Robinson used the beneficiaries' information to file fraudulent reimbursement claims with Medicaid for services that were either not approved by Medicaid or were never provided.
According to court records, Hatchett received at least $12,000 in illegal kickbacks from Robinson in exchange for providing information about the Medicaid recipients.
At sentencing, he faces a maximum term of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for receiving the illegal kickbacks. In his plea agreement, Hatchett has agreed to pay full restitution to Medicaid for any losses resulting from his criminal conduct.
Robinson pleaded guilty in January 2014 to two counts of health care fraud in a separate case and is currently awaiting sentencing. He pleaded guilty after draining $3.4 million from Medicaid in fraudulent reimbursement payments.
FBI agents said Iesha Watkins used her access as a social worker to sell the names and information of 25 children to a man named Ronnie Robinson for $10,000. According to court records, Robinson then used it to file $30,000 in false Medicaid claims for his non-profit mental health service. Watkins also pleaded guilty in October.
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