The director of a Silver City after-school nonprofit program and her daughter are under fire from the state for allegedly committing 91 counts of fraud and identity theft. According to state investigators, the crimes targeted both adults and children.
The New Mexico Department of Justice (NMDOJ) is bringing criminal charges against “Kids in Need of Support Services” (KISS) Director Susanne Kee and registered agent Bethanne Kee-Medran for allegedly submitting more than $1.6 million in fraudulent Medicaid claims for services that they never actually provided. Investigators say the mother-daughter pair used the personal identifying information of both adults and children to make the fake claims.
The women allegedly made up psychological diagnoses for children and then filed claims for treatments that weren’t needed and never actually happened. Prosecutors argue that those altered records could follow the affected children into adulthood, potentially complicating their future medical and professional lives.
Together, the pair face a total of 91 counts, including charges of fraud and identity theft. Kee is charged with 10 fraud-related counts and 36 identity theft-related counts, for a total of 46. She is cited on multiple charges of fraud exceeding $20,000, additional counts between $2,500 and $20,000, a count for false or excessive Medicaid claims and a conspiracy charge. Kee-Medran is charged with nine fraud-related counts and 36 identity theft-related counts, for a total of 45.
The charges span second-, third- and fourth-degree felonies, and both women face the possibility of prison time if convicted.
“This case was brought to the attention of NMDOJ by the State’s Medicaid Managed Care Organizations (MCO),” says NMDOJ Deputy Communications Director Chelsea Pitvorec. “Upon learning of the allegations, the NMDOJ’s Medicaid Fraud and Elder Abuse Bureau conducted a thorough investigation dating back to January 2020 that included analysis of thousands of pages of medical records, interviews with victims and more.”
The KISS program provides family-focused services such as behavioral health assessments and treatment, individual and family support, support groups and supervised/court-ordered visitation and exchanges. Since 2020, the Silver City non-profit has collected $20,000 in grants from the NM Outdoor Recreation Division’s Outdoor Equity Fund.
In addition to criminal charges, the Attorney General has filed a civil lawsuit against the two women. In a press release, Attorney General Raúl Torrez said that the defendants abused a system that was designed to support vulnerable children, and the fraudulent activity diverted taxpayer funds. He said that the families of the affected children will now have to work to correct their falsified medical records. The Attorney General’s office is seeking restitution, fines and penalties. It aims to recover misappropriated funds and ensure justice for the victims.
“This is a critical case as the defendants are accused of exploiting both adults and minors by stealing their personal identifying information and falsifying psychological disorders that will follow them indefinitely,” says Pitvorec. “The NMDOJ works to hold bad actors criminally and financially responsible and will prosecute this case to the fullest extent of the law.”
