FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEWS ADVISORY
April 21, 2015
For More Information, contact:
Luther Strange
Mike Lewis (334) 353-2199
Alabama Attorney General
Joy Patterson (334) 242-7491
Claire Haynes (334) 242-7351
Page 1 of 1
AG ANNOUNCES MEDICAID FRAUD INDICTMENT
OF NON-PROFIT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
(MONTGOMERY)– Attorney General Luther Strange announced the arrest of Lula
Jones Bridges, 58, of Notasulga. Bridges is charged with nine counts of filing false claims with
the Alabama Medicaid Agency, which is Medicaid fraud, and one count of first-degree theft
of property.
The Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit presented evidence to the April
2015 term of the Montgomery grand jury resulting in an indictment* charging Bridges with
filing numerous false claims to the Alabama Medicaid Agency totaling over $550,000.00, as
well as first-degree theft of property.
Bridges is the Executive Director of Hope for Families and Community Services
(HFCS), a non-profit agency based in Tuskegee. It is alleged that Bridges oversaw a scheme
to bill the Alabama Medicaid Agency for counseling services that were never provided and
then attempted to conceal the fraud by manipulating treatment records.
Medicaid fraud in an unclassified felony with a maximum possible prison sentence of
five years for each count. Theft of property in the first degree is a class “B” felony, which
carries a possible prison sentence of two to 20 years imprisonment.
Attorney General Strange commended his Medicaid Fraud Control Unit for its
steadfast investigation of this case, and thanked the Alabama Medicaid Agency’s Program
Integrity Unit, which referred the case for investigation and prosecution.
*An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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501 Washington Avenue * Montgomery, AL 36104 * (334) 242-7300
www.ago.alabama.gov
