(WWJ) A pharmacist who billed for phantom female condoms and a man who stole money meant to help people with autism are among those busted in Michigan as part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) National Health Care Fraud Takedown.
The Michigan Attorney General's Office on Tuesday announced charges for four people as a result of a national law enforcement campaign targeting health care fraudsters all across the country.
The four Michigan cases include the following, according to the AG's office:
- Wayne White, 63, of Detroit, was charged with three counts of Larceny by Conversion – $20,000 or more, each a 10-year felony, in the 36th District Court in Detroit. Between August 2024 and April 2025, it is alleged White, while working as a part-time community outreach contractor for Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network, improperly received more than $234,000 intended for autism services.
- Claudia Payne, 47, of Mt. Pleasant, was charged with five counts of Medicaid Fraud — False Claim, each a 4-year felony in the 54B District Court in East Lansing. It is alleged that Payne was paid by Medicaid to provide caretaking services for an elderly disabled man in Mt. Pleasant between October 2023 and November 2024. Despite receiving payment, Payne allegedly failed to provide these services and left the victim severely neglected.
- Kurt Hammond, 56, of Ann Arbor, was charged with one count of Medicaid Fraud — False Claim in the 54B District Court in East Lansing. Hammond, a pharmacist at Central Pharmacy located in Lansing from 2020 to 2024, allegedly dispensed and billed for a significant number of female condoms that the pharmacy never acquired from any wholesaler.
- John Kempainen, 43, of Oak Park, was charged with six counts of Medicaid Fraud—False Claim in the 54B District Court in East Lansing. Kempainen allegedly billed Medicaid for care he agreed to provide to a vulnerable adult who lived alone in a senior complex in Oak Park. Kempainen reportedly failed to provide any care for her for at least 4 months between February 2026 and June 2026 while living out of state.
All four cases are being handled by the Department of Attorney General’s Health Care Fraud Division (HCFD)
“Our Health Care Fraud Division works every single day to protect the hard-earned money of Michiganders from Medicaid fraud,” said Attorney General Nessel. “They do exceptional work delivering for our residents, and these four cases are no exception. We will continue to protect taxpayer dollars and this vital program.”
The National Health Care Fraud Takedown is a massive, coordinated police sweep aimed at stopping criminals from stealing money from the healthcare system.
The stated goal is protect taxpayer-funded programs like Medicare and Medicaid, and keep patients safe from greedy or harmful practices.
The DOJ said this year's operation set a record, bringing criminal charges against 455 people — including 90 doctors and nurses—across the country for over $6.5 billion in fake medical bills.
