The Thomas F. Eagleton United States Courthouse in downtown St. Louis.
A St. Louis man was sentenced by a U.S. District Judge on Tuesday for using his brother’s identity to unlawfully obtain funds from a Missouri healthcare program.
Christopher J. Spencer, 46, has been accused by prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Eastern District of Missouri of using his brother’s name to fraudulently obtain more than $56,000 from the Missouri Medicaid Program. This alleged scheme took place between June 2018 and February 2022.
According to prosecutors, Spencer’s brother used to live with him and was officially recognized as his personal care provider. He would submit time sheets for performing various personal care services, including housekeeping, meal preparation, bathing, grooming, and transportation.
Spencer kept submitting time sheets and visiting records even after his brother moved out in 2018 and stopped providing personal care. It was as if his brother was still serving as a personal care attendant.
Spencer was accused by prosecutors of forging his brother’s signature and submitting falsified paperwork to a Medicaid vendor, where he listed his brother as a personal care provider.
Spenser, instead of using the debit card meant to reimburse his brother from the Medicaid program, chose to keep it for himself. He utilized the funds for personal expenses such as bills, rent, groceries, shopping, and hotels.
Prosecutors have alleged that he obtained loans and advances on reimbursement payments from a Medicaid vendor by using his brother’s name and personal information.
In March, Spencer admitted to making false statements about health care benefits.
Spencer received a six-month prison sentence and was placed on six months of house arrest. Additionally, he was mandated to reimburse Missouri’s Medicaid Program with a sum of $56,173.
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