Press Release

C Care Services Owner Sentenced to 12 Months in Jail for Fraudulently Billing Medicaid

May 10, 2016

(Anchorage, Alaska) –The Alaska Department of Law, Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, announced today that 51 year old Cecelia De Leon Sobier was sentenced to 12 months of active incarceration plus 10 years of probation. Judge Michael D. Corey also ordered Sobier to pay a $15,000 fine, restitution to the State of Alaska, Medicaid program in the amount of $73,500.00, and restitution to Wells Fargo Bank in the amount of $18,267.39. Sobier pled guilty to Attempted Medical Assistance Fraud in association with her operation of personal care attendant agency C Care Services, LLC.

Sobier admitted to committing Medical Assistance Fraud in multiple ways. For example, one recipient received over $28,000 in PCA services paid by Medicaid when the recipient in fact did not need the assistance. Sobier admitted that most of the fraudulent billing for this recipient was done at her direction and that she in fact completed the fraudulent timesheets for a period of over one year. Sobier also admitted that she knew her sister DeLeon was billing for providing PCA services to their parents on a daily basis when in fact DeLeon was working at C Care Services, LLC and not providing the services alleged in the medical records. In total, the state has prosecuted 27 cases associated with C Care Services, LLC amounting to approximately $300,000.00 in fraudulent activity.

On Friday, May 6, 2016, 62 year old Leonida E. DeLeon, sister of Sobier, was sentenced to 12 months of suspended jail, three years of probation, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,080.58. DeLeon pled guilty to one count of Medical Assistance Fraud, a class A misdemeanor offense, in association with her fraudulently providing PCA services to Medicaid recipients associated with C Care Services, LLC.

Assistant Attorney General Andrew Peterson stated that “[h]ealth care fraud impacts everyone in Alaska and these prosecutions are intended to deter waste, fraud and abuse within Alaska’s Medicaid program.” These prosecutions further send a clear message to individuals participating in the respective programs as to the consequences of committing fraud.

The cases associated with C Care Services were jointly investigated by the State of Alaska, Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, the State Department of Health and Social Services, the federal Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Social Security Administration. These agencies are part of the ongoing collaboration between various state and federal agencies through the Social Services Fraud Working Group. This group was designed to foster collaboration and efficiencies by bringing together representatives from all of the various state and federal agencies responsible for preventing waste, fraud, and abuse within Alaska’s Medicaid, public assistance, and PFD programs. Over the past three years, these agencies were responsible for approximately 200 convictions and restitution judgments in excess of $6.6 million dollars.

The Alaska MFCU is part of the Attorney General’s Office. The MFCU is responsible for investigating and prosecuting Medicaid fraud and abuse, neglect or financial exploitation of patients in any facility that accepts Medicaid funds. For more information on the sentencing announced today please contact: Assistant Attorney General Andrew Peterson at (907) 269-6292.

The charges filed by the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit can be found on the MFCU website.

To report fraud, please contact:

• Medicaid
  • 1-907-269-6279
  • Medicaid Fraud / Elder Abuse Complaint Form - PDF(71K)
  • U.S. Office of Inspector General Hotline Operations
• PFD
  • 907-269-0385
  • Online Fraud Reporting
• Public Assistance
  • 1-800-478-6406

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Department Media Contacts: Communications Director Patty Sullivan at patty.sullivan@alaska.gov or (907) 269-6368. Information Officer Sam Curtis at sam.curtis@alaska.gov or (907) 269-6269.