BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C.–A Berkeley County nurse practitioner is in jail after authorities claim that she along with two other individuals were involved in a “horrific elder abuse scheme.”
Cynthia Riley of Moncks Corner was recently taken into custody in Moncks Corner with assistance from the Berkeley County Sheriff Office, the U.S. Marshall Service, and the South Carolina Office of the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
Her arrest stems from her reported involvement with Michelle Oliver, an unlicensed personal care home owner in Albany, Georgia.
Authorities say that on September 20, 2017, Oliver, who is 39 years old, was arrested for operating an unlicensed personal care home by the name of Miracle One Care Center, Inc.
Prior to Oliver’s arrest, in July of 2017, officials state that concerned residents in Albany informed authorities that people living in nearby apartments rented by Oliver were begging for food. An investigation by state and local agencies led to executing search warrants on Oliver’s various apartments in Albany.
The units were condemned by Albany Code Enforcement because of the living conditions. Seven elderly and/or disabled adults were triaged by Dougherty County EMS and the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD), and the individuals were relocated to licensed facilities.
State and local authorities also executed a search warrant at Oliver’s residence where she was taken into custody. Four elderly and/or disabled adults, who were also living at the house, were relocated to licensed facilities.
According to residents, Oliver would also transport residents to Riley who would give them injections of psychotropic medications and various prescriptions.
The residents reported they did not receive any other psychological or medical care. Through the investigation, it was also learned that Riley would fill out and deliver to Oliver and Hunt medical forms necessary for Oliver and Hunt to sign residents up for government benefits which Hunt and Oliver would keep for themselves.
Riley reportedly was not the only person assisting Oliver in the alleged scheme.
Harold Hunt, 56, has also been charged in the case.
As part of the scheme, authorities say Hunt would assist Oliver in obtaining Social Security benefits for residents of Miracle One. Hunt would then act as residents’ Social Security payee, sending money belonging to the residents to Oliver and keeping funds for himself, as well. Authorities say that both Oliver and Hunt were depriving the residents of healthcare, shelter, and necessary sustenance and financially exploiting the individuals.
“Abuse, neglect or exploitation of older or at-risk adults will not be tolerated,†said Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr. “We will investigate and prosecute anyone engaging in these criminal activities in our state, and we will hold the abusers accountable. I am very proud of our Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and all of the statewide partners who played a part in dismantling this horrific elder abuse scheme—especially the witnesses who cared enough to report this suspicious behavior to their local law enforcement officials.â€
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