Well I guess I really should open my mail earlier in the day.
My 6 year long legal battle is finally over. Thank God..it's literally only cost me everything I had and then some. If you haven't been in a trial or legal battle count yourself fortunate, because it is all consuming and life sucking. It's hard to believe that his all started over 8 years ago, 5 years of legal back and forth, and a full year to get the state to clear my name & record.
8 years ago, a co-worker and I reported a mental health company we worked for to the State of Florida Medicaid Fraud unit, for intentionally over billing, doctoring records and not properly training their staff (which included me). The company I worked for provided case management services to mentally ill individuals living in a assisted living facility. We would link them with doctors, manage their finances, everything the couldn't do. Most of them were seriously mentally ill, from schizophrenia, Korsakoff Syndrome, borderline personalities, most of these people would never been able to function on their own so they lived in a place where they had some level of freedom and could recieve help. We did bill medicaid, with service provider number but all the money was sent directly to the company..I didn't see one penny.
A lot of the backstory is office politics, personality clashes, and so on..like any other workplace. Anyways, I reported the company for fraud and asked for "whistle blower" protection and gave them the details of the fraud that was committed. For about 4 months I didn't hear anything back from the fraud unit, out of the blue a investigator called me and left a message..I returned her call and left a message. Never heard from her again. Cut to a year and a half later..when the cops and a state medicaid fraud investigator are banging on my door at 5 in the morning..there to arrest me on Fraud and Grand theft charges!..lol..oh joy!
So, I'm picked up and process into Jail..which took all day. I wasn't given access to my medication, which I used to take for my blood pressure..which needless to say was spiking. The investigator..wanted to sit and talk..and being a fan of law dramas..I just asked for a lawyer. So..I get sent up to detention..which was fun. Now, I know y'all don't know me..but..I'm 6'3" and a pretty big guy, built like an offensive lineman. Anyways, the handcuffs wouldn't fit around my wrists or my ankles..so the one guard who was pretty cool..just left them undone and asked not to do anything cause he would lose his job. Which seemed odd..but okay.
Long story short, I had to call my friend to call my folks to bail me out. I had to put down $10,000 on a criminal defense attorney, who specialized in Medicaid cases. I had to call my work..where I was a health insurance supervisor and let them know what happened. Only to get fired a few weeks later because of the morality clause in my contract, I had to pay for 6 years worth of depostions, court apperances, experts, paperwork..meet with the moronic state investigator, who made me embarrassed that she even was assigned to investigate me. She stated once.." It was nice that your work let you off to come meet with us" and I replied "Yeah, so nice they told me not to come back", "well now you have some free time" was her reply. ugh! The lady was a complete moron, I was embarrassed for her.
At the beginning, they were asking for 3 yrs in prison, if I agreed to testify against my co-worker it would be commuted to probation. I refused. They then offered for my testimony..2 years probation, and the reinstatement of my medicaid provider number. I refused. It started dropping as the years went by. 6 mths probation..nope. A $5000.00 fine..nope. A $2000 fine...nope. 100 hours of community service..or I could pay the state $10.00/hr and get out of it...nope! 45 hours of community service..and I wouldn't have to testify...nope. I wasn't going to lie aganist my friend..I don't care what they offered me.
There was a year where the case was on hold, while the State Supreme Court was deciding if the statute I was charged under was unconstitutional, not because of my case..but another case. Which didn't go my way..but the break was nice. But, the depositions, meetings, and court appearances still happened.
So..5 years of legal moves, briefs, motions, meetings, court apperances, fees, depostions, and waiting is finally over. All the charges were dismissed with prejudice..and I can't be charged again. I finally got the record expunged, it's gone for good. The charges were dismissed about 6 months ago, I've been waiting on word that my record has been expunged which I finally got yesterday. So it's finally over.
I found out a few months ago, that the State's primary witnesses my old boss and a co-worker, who were instrumental in getting me picked up and arrested. Changed their testimony about a two years into it all..and refused to testify, moved out of state and eventually recanted what they said..but the State's attorney went ahead with it anyway. Nice.
Doing the right thing can seriously bite you in the ass sometimes.
Jail did serve some tasty garden burgers though.
My 6 year long legal battle is finally over. Thank God..it's literally only cost me everything I had and then some. If you haven't been in a trial or legal battle count yourself fortunate, because it is all consuming and life sucking. It's hard to believe that his all started over 8 years ago, 5 years of legal back and forth, and a full year to get the state to clear my name & record.
8 years ago, a co-worker and I reported a mental health company we worked for to the State of Florida Medicaid Fraud unit, for intentionally over billing, doctoring records and not properly training their staff (which included me). The company I worked for provided case management services to mentally ill individuals living in a assisted living facility. We would link them with doctors, manage their finances, everything the couldn't do. Most of them were seriously mentally ill, from schizophrenia, Korsakoff Syndrome, borderline personalities, most of these people would never been able to function on their own so they lived in a place where they had some level of freedom and could recieve help. We did bill medicaid, with service provider number but all the money was sent directly to the company..I didn't see one penny.
A lot of the backstory is office politics, personality clashes, and so on..like any other workplace. Anyways, I reported the company for fraud and asked for "whistle blower" protection and gave them the details of the fraud that was committed. For about 4 months I didn't hear anything back from the fraud unit, out of the blue a investigator called me and left a message..I returned her call and left a message. Never heard from her again. Cut to a year and a half later..when the cops and a state medicaid fraud investigator are banging on my door at 5 in the morning..there to arrest me on Fraud and Grand theft charges!..lol..oh joy!
So, I'm picked up and process into Jail..which took all day. I wasn't given access to my medication, which I used to take for my blood pressure..which needless to say was spiking. The investigator..wanted to sit and talk..and being a fan of law dramas..I just asked for a lawyer. So..I get sent up to detention..which was fun. Now, I know y'all don't know me..but..I'm 6'3" and a pretty big guy, built like an offensive lineman. Anyways, the handcuffs wouldn't fit around my wrists or my ankles..so the one guard who was pretty cool..just left them undone and asked not to do anything cause he would lose his job. Which seemed odd..but okay.
Long story short, I had to call my friend to call my folks to bail me out. I had to put down $10,000 on a criminal defense attorney, who specialized in Medicaid cases. I had to call my work..where I was a health insurance supervisor and let them know what happened. Only to get fired a few weeks later because of the morality clause in my contract, I had to pay for 6 years worth of depostions, court apperances, experts, paperwork..meet with the moronic state investigator, who made me embarrassed that she even was assigned to investigate me. She stated once.." It was nice that your work let you off to come meet with us" and I replied "Yeah, so nice they told me not to come back", "well now you have some free time" was her reply. ugh! The lady was a complete moron, I was embarrassed for her.
At the beginning, they were asking for 3 yrs in prison, if I agreed to testify against my co-worker it would be commuted to probation. I refused. They then offered for my testimony..2 years probation, and the reinstatement of my medicaid provider number. I refused. It started dropping as the years went by. 6 mths probation..nope. A $5000.00 fine..nope. A $2000 fine...nope. 100 hours of community service..or I could pay the state $10.00/hr and get out of it...nope! 45 hours of community service..and I wouldn't have to testify...nope. I wasn't going to lie aganist my friend..I don't care what they offered me.
There was a year where the case was on hold, while the State Supreme Court was deciding if the statute I was charged under was unconstitutional, not because of my case..but another case. Which didn't go my way..but the break was nice. But, the depositions, meetings, and court appearances still happened.
So..5 years of legal moves, briefs, motions, meetings, court apperances, fees, depostions, and waiting is finally over. All the charges were dismissed with prejudice..and I can't be charged again. I finally got the record expunged, it's gone for good. The charges were dismissed about 6 months ago, I've been waiting on word that my record has been expunged which I finally got yesterday. So it's finally over.
I found out a few months ago, that the State's primary witnesses my old boss and a co-worker, who were instrumental in getting me picked up and arrested. Changed their testimony about a two years into it all..and refused to testify, moved out of state and eventually recanted what they said..but the State's attorney went ahead with it anyway. Nice.
Doing the right thing can seriously bite you in the ass sometimes.
Jail did serve some tasty garden burgers though.
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-Barish