A Metairie couple has been arrested and accused of a Medicaid fraud scheme.
Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill’s Louisiana Bureau of Investigation agents arrested Brian Joseph Ringgold, 52, and Lisa Marie Ringgold, 48, both of Metairie, for a scheme that resulted in more than $37,000 in improperly obtained government benefits.
The LBI says they received a criminal referral from the Louisiana Department of Health regarding allegations that Brian, a Medicaid recipient, had been underreporting his income for the purpose of receiving Medicaid benefits.
During the investigation, they discovered that Lisa acted as Brian’s authorized representative and intentionally omitted details regarding their marriage and living arrangement with their two children from the LDH.
According to the LBI, they also failed to report their total household income in an effort to obtain Medicaid benefits for Brian.
If they had accurately disclosed their true household composition and total income, including Brian’s earnings from cash work, he would not have qualified for Medicaid benefits between April 1, 2021, and Sept. 30, 2025.
As a result, the couple defrauded the Medicaid program for more than $37,000.
They are being charged with five counts of government benefits funds and injuring public records.
This is an ongoing investigation.
READ MORE:Metairie couple accused of defrauding Medicaid program
