MILWAUKEE, Wis. (WFRV) – A 36-year-old Wisconsin woman has been sentenced to five years in federal prison after admitting to a healthcare fraud scheme that stole more than $2.5 million from a Medicaid benefit program designed to help at-risk pregnant women and mothers with young children.
According to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, Lakia Jackson was sentenced on March 19 after pleading guilty to one count of healthcare fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. She previously pleaded guilty on Dec. 2, 2025, following a 20-count indictment issued in October 2024.
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Prosecutors said Jackson stole $2,655,463.63 from Wisconsin Medicaid by offering women kickbacks in exchange for their Medicaid identification numbers and then falsely billing the state for prenatal care coordination services that were either minimally provided or not provided at all. Authorities said she routinely billed for the maximum amount allowed under the program.
As part of her plea agreement, Jackson acknowledged that she enriched herself at the expense of vulnerable mothers and children and reduced available resources for those at risk of negative birth outcomes, including infant death.
During sentencing, the judge highlighted the significant damage caused by the fraud, including its impact on public trust and the sustainability of government benefit programs. The court noted that Jackson accepted responsibility and expressed remorse, distinguishing her from others involved in similar schemes.
In addition to the five-year prison term, Jackson was ordered to forfeit $2,361,799.17 and pay restitution to Medicaid in the same amount.
Jackson’s sentencing follows two related cases this year involving similar prenatal care coordination fraud schemes. Precious Cruse and Markita Barnes were sentenced to 11 and 12 years in prison, respectively.
“Judge Pamela Pepper summarized the seriousness of this very well when she observed that the defendant took a huge amount of money designed to help people in great need,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad Schimel. “Due to this massive fraud, not only are millions of dollars in public benefits gone, but decision-makers in government are reluctant to fund programs like this in the future.”
FBI Milwaukee Special Agent in Charge Alan Karr said the agency will continue to aggressively pursue healthcare fraud cases involving taxpayer-funded programs.
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Attorney General Josh Kaul also emphasized the importance of accountability in protecting public benefit programs.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Wisconsin Department of Justice Medicaid Fraud Control and Elder Abuse Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julie F. Stewart and Kate M. Biebel prosecuted the case.
