Four residents from central Ohio are among nine individuals indicted on state charges of Medicaid fraud and theft, including a Columbus caregiver who now faces an involuntary manslaughter charge in connection with a child’s death.
Eight of the nine defendants indicted in Franklin County Common Pleas Court are accused of defrauding the Medicaid healthcare program of $181,512, according to an April 17 news release from Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s office. The ninth individual allegedly stole a patient’s debit card to make purchases at Walmart and later filed a false report claiming the card had been lost, Yost said.
Officials say four of the central Ohio defendants are responsible for a combined loss of $99,051, based on figures provided by Yost’s office.
Investigators accuse Alice Toole, 60, of Reynoldsburg, of theft and Medicaid fraud, alleging she overbilled $28,818. Authorities claim they uncovered falsified timesheets, unauthorized visits, and overlapping services provided to multiple clients.
Much of Toole’s disputed billing involves a 15-year-old client who died in August after authorities allege Toole left the child unattended for several hours, leading to death by dehydration.
A Franklin County grand jury indicted Toole in March on charges of involuntary manslaughter, patient endangerment, and endangering children related to the child’s death.
The other three central Ohio individuals indicted include:
Hannah Browning, 23, of Ashville in Pickaway County, came under investigation after a client’s relative reported inconsistencies in her timesheets. Authorities allege Browning billed Medicaid for services she did not provide and recorded overlapping services for multiple clients. Officials estimate the loss to Medicaid from August 2023 through January 2025 at $10,086.
Karen Hampston-McCants, 61, of Columbus, faces charges of theft from a person in a protected class and falsification. While serving as a resident manager at I Am Boundless, a nonprofit supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, authorities allege she gave a resident’s debit card to an acquaintance, who then made $400 in unauthorized purchases. Investigators also accuse her of filing a false incident report, claiming she misplaced the card while shopping at Walmart for the resident.
Khalilah Larue, 42, formerly of Columbus, faces charges after investigators allege she improperly received $59,747 in Medicaid payments between January 2020 and September 2025. Prosecutors claim Larue continued billing Medicaid after she stopped providing services and submitted claims for weekends she did not work. Authorities also say multiple clients reported that many of her treatment notes were falsified.
According to Yost, several defendants billed Medicaid for in-home services while clients were hospitalized or traveling. He also stated that one defendant admitted to sleeping during shifts, while another sent unauthorized individuals to care for clients in her place.
“Whether fraud is a trickle or a flood, our mission remains the same: Protect Medicaid dollars and hold thieves accountable,” Yost said in the media release announcing the indictments. “Our investigative team stands guard to ensure that every provider plays by the rules.”
The Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, a division of the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, investigated the cases.
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