Therapist pleads guilty to fraud charges, forced to repay nearly $1 million

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico (KVIA) -- The New Mexico Department of Justice announced Tuesday that Nancy Marshall, a therapist from Las Cruces, has pleaded guilty to two counts each of Medicaid Fraud, Falsification of Documents and Theft of Identity.

This comes as Marshall, who owned Equine Assisted Programs of Southern New Mexico (EAP) in Las Cruces, stole the identities of staff and patients - including children - fabricating false counseling diagnoses and records, and fraudulently billing New Mexico’s Medicaid program $970,108.31.

As part of the plea deal, Marshall has been ordered to pay the amount stolen to the State and, after failing to appear at her sentencing hearing with the appropriate percentage of the restitution payment, was remanded into custody and sentenced to five years in prison followed by five years of probation.

“Medicaid is a lifeline for New Mexicans who depend on these services, and every dollar stolen from the program is a dollar taken away from patients who need care,” said Attorney General Raúl Torrez. “This defendant abused the trust placed in her by patients, families, and the State, even going so far as to steal identities and fabricate records to line her own pockets. Our office will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute Medicaid fraud and hold accountable anyone who puts personal profit ahead of the people they are entrusted to serve.”.

The NMDOJ conducted an investigation that included extensive cross-referencing of hundreds of individual patient records, which unveiled several alleged false Medicaid claims over approximately two and a half years.