BATON ROUGE, La. — Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill announced Wednesday that 21 people have been arrested as part of a statewide Medicaid fraud operation involving allegations of false billing, falsified records, and abuse of vulnerable individuals.

The arrests were made by the Louisiana Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, which investigates Medicaid provider fraud as well as allegations of abuse and neglect involving patients in healthcare facilities.

Murrill also announced that the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit has been elevated to a standalone division within the Louisiana Department of Justice. Matt Stafford, who previously led the unit, has been promoted to serve as director of the new division.

"I will not stop until the people's money is returned and those who break the law face Louisiana justice," Murrill said. "The men and women of Louisiana get up and go to work every single day to provide for their families. Their tax dollars are intended for those in need. Nothing is more offensive than those who manipulate the system for their own benefit."

According to the Attorney General's Office, many of the cases involve direct service workers accused of billing Medicaid for care that was never provided. Investigators allege some claims were submitted while recipients were hospitalized, attending daycare, incarcerated, or no longer receiving services.

Additional investigations involve allegations of falsified CPR certifications, fraudulent insurance documents, and abuse or battery of elderly or disabled individuals.

Those arrested are from communities across Louisiana and neighboring states, including Baton Rouge, Alexandria, Shreveport, Monroe, Ruston, Crowley, Lake Charles, Hammond, Bunkie, Collinston, Mount Hermon, as well as Natchez, Mississippi, and Aubrey, Texas.

Among those arrested are individuals facing Medicaid fraud charges, while others are accused of filing false public records, cruelty to persons with infirmities, or battery involving vulnerable adults. Officials emphasized that all charges are allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

Louisiana Department of Health Secretary Bruce Greenstein said the agency's Program Integrity Unit has reviewed more than 4,200 complaints of provider and beneficiary fraud so far this year. According to Greenstein, the department has identified or recovered more than $9 million in overpayments and penalties, removed more than 100 providers from the Medicaid program, and referred nearly 375 cases to the Attorney General's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and Bureau of Investigation.

"The Louisiana Department of Health remains dedicated to reducing fraud, waste, and abuse," Greenstein said. "We stand with the Attorney General's vigilance against wrongful actors, and LDH remains committed to stopping money from going out the door, leaving more resources for those who truly need them."

State officials encourage anyone who suspects Medicaid fraud to report it through the online complaint forms available through the Louisiana Attorney General's Office or the Louisiana Department of Health.