 INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill today announced the sentencing of a woman who forged multiple Registered Nursing (RN) license numbers in her applications to obtain employment at multiple Indianapolis healthcare facilities. The Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) of the Office of the Indiana Attorney General was instrumental in the investigation.
Ashley Nichole Johnson, Indianapolis, plead guilty to making false statements in relation to health care matters after an investigation discovered she was using the nursing license numbers that belonged to women with the same name when applying for positions as an RN.
On Jan. 11, Johnson was sentenced to three years of probation, and she’ll serve the first three months on home detention. The sentencing comes after a collaborative investigation by the following state and federal agencies: the Office of the Inspector General Health and Human Services, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the MFCU. Johnson was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Indiana.
“When our various state departments and bureaus work together for the greater good of Hoosiers, criminals don’t stand a chance,†Hill said. “This investigation and its ensuing sentencing is a prime example of the right approach Hoosiers can expect. I’m extremely pleased with the efforts of the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and all who dedicated countless hours to this case.â€
In September 2015, Johnson submitted an employment application at a healthcare facility for senior citizens using the RN license number of a registered nurse also named Ashley Johnson. When she failed to provide the healthcare facility with verification that the RN license number was in fact her own, Johnson was relieved of her duties.
In April of 2016, Johnson was hired as an RN at an Indianapolis healthcare facility after using the license of yet another registered nurse with the name Ashley Johnson when she applied for the position. On April 24, 2016, Johnson gave the wrong medication to a patient, prompting employees at the healthcare facility to look into her employment. On April 25, 2016, staff at the healthcare facility confronted Johnson after checking with one of her references, ultimately discovering that she was not a registered nurse. Johnson stopped showing up to work and was later arrested on May 4, 2016.
