HARRISBURG, PA — Two Philadelphia direct care workers have been sentenced to prison and probation terms for neglect and Medicaid fraud, following the abuse of their quadriplegic relative. Attorney General Michelle Henry announced the sentencing on Thursday, highlighting the severity of the case.
Rashina Long, 48, and Jasmine Long, 33, pleaded guilty in September to charges of neglect of a care-dependent person and Medicaid fraud. Each has been sentenced to two to four years in prison, followed by seven years of probation, and is barred from working as care providers during their sentences.
The pair, mother and sister to the victim, were employed as direct care workers responsible for essential services such as bathing, meal preparation, and repositioning. Their neglect led to the victim’s hospitalization in October 2022, where doctors discovered severe pressure wounds, malnutrition, and dehydration. The victim required intensive care, including a blood transfusion and ventilator support.
“The egregious conduct here by two trusted caregivers is compounded by the fact that they are relatives of the man they neglected,” said Attorney General Henry. “My office will not tolerate neglectful behavior that harms people in need of care and defrauds the Medicaid system.”
An investigation by the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Section found that fraudulent claims submitted by Rashina and Jasmine Long between December 2021 and September 2022 cost the Medicaid program more than $140,000.
Senior Deputy Attorney General Benjamin McKenna prosecuted the case, bringing closure to a troubling instance of abuse and fraud within the caregiving system.
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