The operator of the shuttered prenatal care coordination company
Caring Through Love, which was located on Milwaukee’s north side, has been convicted of 17 federal charges related to health care fraud and accepting kickbacks.
Precious Cruse was first charged
in August 2023. An indictment in the case states Cruse advertised services to pregnant and new mothers on Facebook, often enticing them to enroll in programming with the promise of free baby supplies. She allegedly hosted several community baby showers, during which women would be given free baby supplies in exchange for enrolling in Caring Through Love services.
Cruse incentivized her employees to inflate their billings to Wisconsin Medicaid by tying their earnings to the amount they billed, according to the indictment. She also allegedly told her employees to falsify billing submissions to Medicaid. The submissions contained false information on the dates and frequency of services provided.
"The evidence also demonstrated that Cruse used her fraud proceeds to finance a lavish lifestyle, including luxury travel, designer clothing, and even an $18,000 custom diamond necklace and bracelet for her toddler," according to a Monday announcement from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin.
Cruse is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 20. She faces a mandatory minimum two-year sentence on several aggravated identity theft charges, and a maximum 20 years’ imprisonment for the health care fraud charges.
Cruse is one of several women in the Milwaukee area who have recently been charged with illegally receiving federal funding while operating a prenatal care business.
In June 2023,
Markita Barnes was
also charged with illegally receiving $2.3 million in payments from Wisconsin Medicaid.
Last October,
Lakia Jackson, operator of
We Care Services,
was charged with defrauding Wisconsin Medicaid of $3.7 million.
