A federal judge sentenced the former co-owner of Health Care Virginia, Sandra Pope-McElwain to 16 months in prison for her role in a health care fraud scheme.
Court papers show McElwain, and two other employees, faked certificates claiming McElwain trained some nursing assistants.
Federal investigators also found McElwain forged documents claiming she performed yearly health assessments on clients.
The documents were required by law in order for McElwain's company to bill Medicaid for services.
The federal government placed a more than $300,000 restitution demand on the business.
Court records show it was due "immediately."
The business closed early last month.
In court, McElwain apologized for laying off her employees.
"I think it's pretty heartless what they did," said April Wright, a former Health Care Virginia employee.
"On January 6th, I got a call from the [Health Care Virginia office in Covington] from another employee who said that Medicaid [had taken over]. The office was shut down," Wright said.
Wright, along with several other ex employees we met with Friday morning in Clifton Forge, said the business started bouncing paychecks.
The former employees said they were owed between two to three weeks in pay.
The ex employees said another service from Buena Vista recently stepped in, hired them, and paired them with their former Health Care Virginia clients.
The former employees said their clients were without providers for about two weeks last month due to Health Care Virginia's closure.
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