An Ormond Beach, Florida, mental health counselor is accused of causing thousands of Medicaid claims to be filed for telehealth mental health services that state and federal officials say were never provided.
The Daytona Beach News-Journal reported that the case involving Venessa K. Thomas was part of the 2026 National Health Care Fraud Takedown, a nationwide enforcement action announced by the U.S. Department of Justice.
The DOJ case summary identified Thomas as a 38-year-old licensed mental health counselor from Ormond Beach. She was charged with Medicaid provider fraud, organized scheme to defraud, criminal use of personal information, and offenses against users of computers.
The charges are allegations. Thomas has not been convicted, and prosecutors still have to prove the case in court.
DOJ Says The Case Involved 2,696 Telehealth Claims
Medicaid paid Ormond mental health counselor Vanessa Thomas for services she didn’t give patients https://t.co/sMc33hcuDk
— Daytona Beach News-Journal (@dbnewsjournal) June 23, 2026
According to DOJ, Thomas was employed by A Better Life and Community, LLC, and allegedly submitted or caused the submission of 2,696 fraudulent claims for mental health services that were never rendered.
Federal officials said the total amount billed for those claims was $261,804.40. Payment for the claims was traced to $219,787.13 paid to Thomas, according to the DOJ case summary.
The case is being prosecuted by Chief Assistant Statewide Prosecutor Kelsey A. Bledsoe of the Office of the Statewide Prosecutor, DOJ said.
Some Claims Allegedly Used Information Belonging To Minors
DOJ said some of the claims were submitted using identifying information belonging to Medicaid recipients under 18 years old. Authorities alleged that Thomas unlawfully obtained that information through her provider access to a managed care portal.
The News-Journal reported that state investigators accused Thomas of billing for services she did not provide. Local coverage summarizing court records said investigators described some of the billing as “impossible days,” including days when more than 40 hours of therapy services were allegedly billed within a single 24-hour period.
Investigators also alleged that patient information obtained through Medicaid systems was used to create “phantom” clients and submit fraudulent claims, according to local coverage of the court records.
The News-Journal reported that Thomas was booked into the Volusia County Branch Jail on June 18. Local coverage said she was later released on bail.
The Case Was Part Of A Nationwide Health-Care Fraud Takedown
The Justice Department announced the 2026 National Health Care Fraud Takedown on June 23. DOJ said the operation resulted in charges against 455 defendants, including 90 doctors and other licensed medical professionals, in alleged schemes involving more than $6.5 billion in false claims.
DOJ said the takedown involved cases in 56 federal districts and 45 states and territories. The department also said 50 state Medicaid Fraud Control Units participated, the largest number in takedown history.
False Medical Claims Can Create Problems For Patients
Medicaid fraud is often described as theft from taxpayers, but false medical claims can also create practical problems for patients. A person’s record may show therapy sessions, prescriptions, equipment, or services that never actually happened.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has warned that phantom services can pollute medical records. A beneficiary’s file may list equipment or tests that were never provided, which can confuse future providers or make it harder to get a real service approved later.
The FBI advises patients to check explanation-of-benefits records regularly and make sure the dates, locations, and services billed match what they actually received.
For parents and guardians, that warning is especially important when a child has Medicaid coverage. If a child’s account shows therapy, telehealth counseling, transportation, prescriptions, or other services the family never used, the family should contact the plan or provider and report unresolved suspicious billing.
Florida Medicaid Fraud Can Be Reported To State Agencies
The Florida Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigates and prosecutes criminal and civil fraud involving providers who improperly bill Florida’s Medicaid program.
The Florida Attorney General’s Office lists a statewide Medicaid fraud hotline at 1-866-966-7226. State guidance says suspected Medicaid fraud can also be reported through the Agency for Health Care Administration’s consumer call center.
Anyone who sees unfamiliar Medicaid claims should save screenshots, notices, appointment records, portal messages, and any denial letters tied to the service. If the charge may be a billing error, start with the provider or health plan. If the service was never provided, or if patient information appears to have been used without permission, report it to the plan, Florida Medicaid, and the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.