Great Lakes Wire

LANSING – Deseraye Dejarnette, 29, of Detroit, was arraigned yesterday in the 54B District Court in Ingham County before Judge Lisa Babcock on one count of Medicaid Fraud – False Claim, a felony punishable by up to four years and/or a $50,000 fine, announced Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel.

Dejarnette was hired as a Direct Hire/Support Professional through Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network to provide support services to a Medicaid beneficiary with special needs. It is alleged Dejarnette submitted fraudulent signed time sheets claiming she provided services to the beneficiary from July 15, 2022, through April 27, 2023, despite having been terminated from her position during that period. As a result, Dejarnette received payments for services she allegedly did not provide totaling $19,183.19.

“Medicaid funds must be used appropriately, not diverted through fraudulent schemes,” Nessel said. “My office will continue to protect the Medicaid program from those who exploit it for their own personal gain.”

Dejarnette was released on a $50,000 personal recognizance bond. A probable cause conference has been scheduled for July 19, 2024, at 8:30 a.m., and a preliminary examination has been set for July 25, 2024, at 9:30 a.m.

The Attorney General’s Health Care Fraud Division (HCFD) handled this case for the Department. The HCFD is the federally certified Medicaid Fraud Control Unit for Michigan and receives 75% of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant award totaling $5,541,992 for the fiscal year 2024. The remaining 25%, totaling $1,847,326 is funded by the State of Michigan.

Please note: For all criminal proceedings, a criminal charge is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The Department does not provide booking photos.