CHANDLER, Ariz. — A Chandler couple was arrested after investigators accused the two of fraudulently receiving over a million dollars in federal funds.
Dale Henson, 53, and his wife Zoila Henson, 53, were arrested on Aug. 18 for allegedly fraudulently billing the Arizona Healthcare Cost Containment System and for providing fraudulent receipts to qualify for COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan funds.
The Hensons were charged by a federal grand jury in a 58-count indictment earlier in August. Charges include healthcare fraud, wire fraud, money laundering and aggravated identity theft.
The Department of Justice alleges the couple used their own medical billing company to bill AHCCCS, which is mainly federally funded for $1.2 million in services not actually rendered. The bills were submitted during a nine-month period between 2019 and 2020.
Investigators said the Hensons used some of the money to buy a $1.3 million home in Gilbert.
The couple is also alleged to have lied in applications for COVID-19 pandemic-related loans and then used the loan money for personal expenses, such as the purchase of a residence in Mexico, where Zoila is a citizen.
The DOJ said a conviction for healthcare fraud or wire fraud carries a sentence of up to 20 years, a conviction for money laundering has a sentence of up to 10 years and a conviction for aggravated identity theft has a mandatory, consecutive 24-month prison sentence.
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