AUGUSTA, Ga. () – A Richmond County Grand Jury has officially charged a 44-year-old man from Augusta with allegedly defrauding the Georgia Medicaid program, as confirmed by the Georgia Attorney General’s office on Monday.
Mikael Pettersend is facing allegations involving four counts of Identity Fraud along with one count of Theft by Taking.
Details provided by the Georgia Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud and Patient Protection Division reveal that Pettersend was employed by Prime Care Home Care Services (Prime Care).
He is accused of submitting false claims for services rendered to a Medicaid patient who was no longer in his care at various times in 2024, leading to a fraudulent claim of $4,871 against Medicaid.
“Submitting claims for unrendered services is among the most rampant types of Medicaid fraud, and our office is committed to prosecuting these offenses,” stated Attorney General Chris Carr. “This is not a crime without victims—it siphons taxpayer money and negatively impacts patients. In Georgia, we are determined to recover every cent and hold those accountable who exploit the system.”