News Release - Florida Medicaid Fraud Control Unit Arrests Minnesota Fugitive

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Attorney General Bill McCollum News Release

December 20, 2007

en Español

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Media Contact: Sandi Copes
Phone: (850) 245-0150

Florida Medicaid Fraud Control Unit Arrests Minnesota Fugitive

~ Minnesota man accused of defrauding his father out of more than $144,000 ~

TALLAHASSEE, FL – Attorney General Bill McCollum today announced that his Medicaid Fraud Control Unit arrested a Boynton Beach man on charges stemming from a Minnesota elder exploitation case. George Spires, Jr. was wanted on a Minnesota felony warrant for allegedly defrauding his elderly father out of more than $144,000. The arrest was made by the Florida Medicaid Fraud Control Unit after receiving a request for assistance from the Minnesota State Attorney General’s Office.

Spires, 51, allegedly took control of his father’s assets and diverted more than $144,000 from his father. The diversion of the funds required the elderly Minnesota resident to seek Medicaid assistance from the State of Minnesota. The felony warrant from Minnesota was issued in September 2007 by Minnesota’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, charged Spires with 10 counts of theft by swindle and financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult.

Investigators with Attorney General McCollum’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit were able to locate Spires in Fort Lauderdale within hours of the request from Minnesota authorities. Spires was booked into the Broward County Jail to await extradition to Minnesota.