10 individuals convicted, sentenced in health care fraud scheme
NORFOLK, Va. – Ten former employees of Progressive Counseling Services LLC, a Virginia Beach-based counseling business, were convicted and sentenced for their roles in a scheme to defraud the Virginia Medicaid program. This case was investigated by the FBI, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, and the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General-Office of Labor and Racketeering and Fraud Investigations.
The 10 convicted defendants and their respective sentences are:
| Name, Age, Hometown | Sentencing Information |
|---|---|
| David Weaver, 71, of Chesapeake | Sentenced June 5 to 72 months in prison |
| Doretha Selby-Diggs, 40, of Portsmouth | Sentenced Feb. 18 to 60 months in prison |
| Lisa Barrett, 49, of Norfolk | Sentenced March 4 to 96 months in prison |
| Barbara Bing Banks, 34, of Hampton | Sentenced Oct. 30 to 41 months in prison |
| Corey Etheridge, 42, of Chesapeake | Sentenced July 1 to 72 months in prison |
| Jacqueline Harris, 34, of Portsmouth | Sentenced March 4 to 60 months in prison |
| Verline Harris, 48, of Virginia Beach | Sentenced Oct. 27 to 108 months in prison |
| Arlette Johnson, 58, of Virginia Beach | Sentenced Nov. 6 to 96 months in prison |
| Alfreda Stallion, 52, of Virginia Beach | Sentenced Nov. 30 to 90 months in prison |
| Johnny Stallion, 34, of Las Vegas | Sentenced Nov. 16 to 60 months in prison |
According to court records, the defendants conspired to obtain reimbursement payments from the Virginia Medicaid Assistance Program by submitting false claims for mental health support services in 2011 and 2012. Mental health support services assist individuals with severe psychiatric limitations to live in the community in the least restrictive environment possible. Nine of the defendants operated as Qualified Mental Health Professionals and claimed to provide mental health support services to Medicaid-eligible clients in the Tidewater area.
David Weaver operated as a licensed mental health professional and was responsible for assessing Progressive’s patients to ensure they required mental health services. Weaver and Progressive’s owner created fraudulent assessments of Progressive’s clients to obtain authorization to bill Medicaid for mental health support services.
Once Progressive obtained this authorization, false Medicaid reimbursement claims were submitted on behalf of mental health support services purportedly provided by Selby-Diggs, Barrett, Bing Banks, Etheridge, Jacqueline Harris, Verline Harris, Johnson, Alfreda Stallion, and Johnny Stallion. These reimbursement claims were false because most of the counselors were unqualified to serve as mental health professionals, the counseling sessions never occurred and progress notes used to document the sessions were fabricated.
Weaver, Selby-Diggs, Barrett, Etheridge, and Jacqueline Harris all pleaded guilty to various charges associated with the scheme. Bing Banks, Verline Harris, Arlette Johnson, Alfreda Stallion, and Johnny Stallion were convicted of various charges after a month-long jury trial.
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