News
Zanesville Nursing Home Owner Indicted On Fraud And Corruption Charges
By: Andy Chow | Statehouse News Bureau
Posted on:
The owner of a Zanesville nursing home faces dozens of criminal charges after an investigation revealed allegations of corrupt activity and fraud.
Attorney General Mike DeWine decided to investigate the Autumn Healthcare nursing home in Zanesville after receiving several complaints from family members.
DeWine announced that the inspection lead to the indictment of owner, Steve Hitchens, who’s accused of corruption, theft, Medicaid fraud, and forgery.
The investigation included hidden cameras – which—according to DeWine—have never been used before to probe nursing homes for this specific purpose. He said the surveillance was crucial for gathering evidence.
“I think it was an important role," he said. "When you think—a family member cannot be in that room 7 days a week, 24 hours a day.”
DeWine’s office got permission from families before installing the cameras in their rooms. The attorney general could not go into details behind the charges against Hitchens because of an ongoing investigation.