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USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
Woman accused of buying Lamborghini, plastic surgery with Medicaid fraud funds
A woman dubbed the "Medicaid millionaire from Slidell" has been arrested after officials said she lied about her income to get Medicaid, which allegedly paid for luxury vehicles and plastic surgery. Candace M. Taylor, 35, was arrested on Monday, July 28 in connection with a government benefits fraud scheme, Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said in a news release. Taylor's arrest comes after someone with the state's Department of Health filed a complaint with the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation, the attorney general's office said. She allegedly spent the money between 2021 and 2024, according to the attorney general's office. She was booked on July 28 into the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison, and the investigation is ongoing, the attorney general's office added. As of Thursday, July 31, it is unclear whether Taylor retained a defense attorney. Where did the money go? According to Murrill's announcement of the charges, Taylor allegedly: She also shared proof of her purchases on social media, the attorney general's office said. How did authorities find out about Taylor's alleged purchases? The Louisiana Department of Health contacted the criminal investigative division of the state's Department of Justice with a complaint about Taylor's behavior, informing them that she committed Medicaid Recipient Fraud. According to the state Department of Health, Taylor underreported her income to receive Medicaid benefits. The attorney general's office said the timeline looked like this: Taylor's multiple businesses generated over $9M What helped authorities piece the case together was looking at Taylor's tax records and social media. Once investigators subpoenaed her tax records from the Louisiana Department of Revenue, agents learned she had bought a Lamborghini and paid for other luxury items and services, the attorney general's office said. In 2020, despite being approved for Medicaid and claiming no income, Taylor's accounts showed deposits of $480,994.09, and over $325,000 of that came from her businesses, the attorney general's office said. Between January 2020 and December 2024, Taylor's businesses generated over $9.5 million in revenue, according to Murrill's office. Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757. Email her at sdmartin@
Miami Herald
a day ago
- Business
- Miami Herald
‘Medicaid millionaire' bought Lamborghini, made $480K in a year, LA officials say
A woman bought a Lamborghini, got plastic surgery and owned businesses that brought in $9.5 million in revenue — all while receiving Medicaid benefits, prosecutors in Louisiana said. Candace Taylor, 35, is now charged with government benefits fraud, Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill announced July 29 in a news release. Prosecutors called Taylor a 'Medicaid millionaire,' saying she concealed her true income and falsified financial information for years to obtain benefits she didn't need. Agents with the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation said they learned Taylor owned six companies, which an arrest affidavit said brought in $9.5 million from 2020 to 2024, according to prosecutors. 'In 2020, despite being approved for Medicaid and claiming to possess no income, her account recorded deposits totaling $480,994.09, with over $325,000 directly attributable from her business activities,' prosecutors wrote. Before ultimately being approved for Medicaid, prosecutors said she tried to apply under an alias and reported she made $1,900 bi-weekly, which was above the threshold for qualifying for benefits. After her 2019 application was rejected, she re-applied using the same alias 10 months later, changing her story about her dependents, investigators said. While Taylor was on Medicaid, investigators said she withdrew hundreds of thousands of dollars from her bank account for plastic surgery, expensive jewelry, property acquisitions and other luxury expenses. She flaunted some of these purchases on social media, agents said. Two months after prosecutors say she spent over $100,000 to buy a Lamborghini Urus, she tried to renew her benefits with the Louisiana Department of Health, investigators said. She reported she made $4,000 while working at a business while failing to mention the business was hers, prosecutors said. Agents said they subpoenaed her tax returns in 2025 and found out she had been misrepresenting her income. Records show Taylor was arrested and booked in the East Baton Rouge Parish jail on July 28. Taylor is from Slidell, which is part of the New Orleans metropolitan area.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Daily Mail
Louisiana woman arrested for making stunning purchase while receiving Medicaid benefits
A Louisiana woman was arrested after allegedly buying a Lamborghini and other expensive purchases while receiving Medicaid benefits. Candace Taylor, 35, was arrested on Monday following a complaint from the Louisiana Department of Health accusing her of committing Medicaid recipient fraud, according to Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill. Taylor allegedly severely underreported her income to secure Medicaid benefits but simultaneously flouted expensive purchases on social media, Murrill said. Records revealed that Taylor had deposited more than $480,000, made vehicle payments exceeding $45,000 to Audi Finance, and made multiple six-figure withdrawals to fund property purchases, cosmetic surgery, high-end jewelry and 'luxury services.' Taylor also allegedly made a $100,000 wire transfer to an exotic car dealership, as well as a $13,000 debit card transaction for a 2022 Lamborghini Urus. She posted photos of her expensive purchases on social media, making multiple posts on Facebook and Instagram, Murrill said. Taylor pictured herself on Instagram in lavish clothing and jewelry as well as posing beside expensive cars, including a pink Corvette and a green Lamborghini. Then, two months after the expensive splurge, she contacted the Louisiana Department of Health to renew her benefits. She allegedly claimed an income of $2,000 per month and failed to reveal the business she owned. Taylor had allegedly applied for the benefits multiple times between 2020 and 2024 through 'misrepresentation, concealment, and non disclosure of required information.' In May of 2019, she applied for benefits under the name 'Candace Sailor' and reported her income to be $1,900 bi-weekly with no dependents, Murrill said. Yet, when her application was denied, she tried again one year later in March 2020 using the same alias. Arrest records indicated that Taylor was also inconsistent with the years she reported having a dependent, Murrill said. However, she was found to have brought in more than $9.5 million across many accounts belonging to her. Taylor posted on Facebook on Tuesday in reference to the charges: 'Man Watch Out! That's Not All Review In A Couple Months.' She also reposted multiple pictures online from friends stating her innocence. Taylor was booked into East Baton Rouge Parish Prison and charged with Medicaid recipient fraud. The investigation is ongoing.
American Press
2 days ago
- Health
- American Press
Louisiana 'ahead of the game' on Medicaid overhaul, but funding challenges loom
Rep. Stephanie Berault, R-Slidell, who sits on the House Health and Welfare Committee, says the state is well prepared to manage upcoming changes with Medicaid — although concerns remain about the burden of new work requirements and a looming loss of federal dollars. 'I don't think it's going to be as bad as all the panic seems to be,' Berault told The Center Square in an interview. 'We're going to have to make some adjustments and plan over time. I think it's going to force us to speed up some technological improvements that we were going to make anyway.' Roughly 400,000 people have lost Medicaid coverage in Louisiana since July 2023, when the state resumed eligibility checks that had been paused during the COVID-19 public health emergency. That reduced Medicaid enrollment to about 1.6 million as of June — a 21% drop from the 2023 peak of 2 million, according to a report from the Louisiana Public Affairs Research Council, citing data from the Kaiser Family Foundation. Much of the concern, Berault said, stems from fears that people could lose coverage due to administrative hurdles rather than ineligibility. 'It seems to me that a lot of the panic is around the fear that people will lose coverage because of paperwork issues, not necessarily because they lost eligibility,' Berault said. 'We have the technology that we can implement… we're just going to have to find a way to do it more quickly.' Under recently passed federal legislation dubbed the 'One Big Beautiful Bill,' Medicaid eligibility rules will tighten further. Most adult recipients will be required to work or participate in certain activities at least 80 hours per month by the end of 2026. The law also mandates income verification every six months — a compliance challenge for lower-income residents, Berault noted. 'A lot of times, people who are already having low-income challenges, resource challenges — it's compliance with having to deal with checking in and work requirements that is more difficult,' she said. Berault expects that her 'One Door' law will aid the state transition away from federal dependency. The law aims to streamline benefit access through a centralized system that connects the Louisiana Department of Health and Louisiana Workforce Commission. 'That has put us a little bit ahead of the game… the collaboration between workforce and LDH is already happening here,' Berault said. 'There will be a dashboard… they will have a case manager through Louisiana Works who is going to be helping them manage all of their benefits.' Under Berault's law, Louisiana Department of Health will handle SNAP and Medicaid eligibility, 'but it's all going to be going through a centralized from the perspective of Louisiana residents needing services,' Berault said. The federal Medicaid overhaul is also expected to impact the state's budget in coming years, as Louisiana will be required to shoulder a greater share of costs currently covered through provider taxes — a financing mechanism that draws down additional federal matching dollars. 'That is a concern that we're going to have to address during the budgeting process,' Berault said. 'As the provider tax piece drops down, the state will be required to put up more… so we're going to have to figure out where that money comes from.' Of Louisiana's $21.2 billion Medicaid budget, about $16 billion — or 75% — is currently funded by the federal government. That reliance is partly due to Louisiana's high poverty rate and its decision to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. As of 2025, about 32.8% of Louisiana residents are enrolled in the program, one of the highest rates in the country, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. Despite the disenrollment trend, Louisiana's Medicaid budget continues to grow — driven by medical inflation and rate increases for providers — even as fewer people are covered. Still, Berault remains optimistic that Louisiana's proactive efforts to modernize its eligibility systems and coordinate agencies will help soften the blow of upcoming federal mandates. 'My hope is, and my expectation is, that fewer people will be missed than maybe the expectation is going to be — that there's going to be a lot of people that lose their Medicaid just because they didn't click the box, they didn't get in and verify their income,' she said. 'But if workforce is already communicating with LDH, then hopefully there'll be a lot less of that.'
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Top 5 stories from the Shreveport Times this week: Louisiana snakes, rodents on traps at restaurants
It has been a busy week in the news cycle for the Shreveport-Bossier area. If you need a refresher on what you missed, here are the top five stories from the Shreveport Times. Louisiana lakes with the highest snake populations according to WorldAtlas Louisiana is home to approximately 48 species of snakes, and seven of those species are venomous. In Louisiana lakes, the most common non-venomous snakes that are found include the banded water snake, the diamond back water snake and the common garter snake. Conversely, the most common venomous snakes found in Louisiana lakes include cottonmouths, also referred to as water moccasins, and copperheads. Rodents on traps, dirty surfaces | Top Caddo Parish restaurant inspections June 22-28 The Times obtained food safety inspection information for the week of June 22-28, 2025, from the Louisiana Department of Health. The top three addresses with the most critical violations in Caddo Parish are listed, along with an explanation of the finding. All restaurants on the list had at least three critical violations. When will it cool down in Louisiana? Fall 2025 weather forecast by Old Farmer's Almanac This year, fall will officially begin on Monday, Sept. 22, which marks the arrival of the vernal equinox. For the deep South, which includes Louisiana, September and October are predicted to be warmer than normal, with below-normal rainfall in the north and near-normal amounts in the South, says The Old Farmer's Almanac. Study reveals the most stolen vehicle in each state. Find out Louisiana's most stolen car More than 850,000 vehicles were stolen in the United States, with an average of one car being stolen every 37 seconds, in 2024 alone. The most stolen car in Louisiana is a Hyundai Elantra, with approximately 360 vehicles stolen, according to the 2024 auto-theft insurance claims filed with the National Insurance Crime Bureau. In Louisiana, Bill Cassidy raises mountain of cash to defend seat against MAGA Republicans Louisiana incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy continues to build a mountain of money to defend his seat in 2026 against at least two GOP opponents who question his MAGA credentials. Cassidy's campaign announced Louisiana's senior senator will report $9 million cash on hand after raising $2.1 million more in the second quarter. More: Top 5 stories from the Shreveport Times this week: Friendliest small town, cotton in Louisiana Makenzie Boucher is a reporter with the Shreveport Times. Contact her at mboucher@ This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Top 5 stories from the Shreveport Times this week: Louisiana snakes, rodents on traps at restaurants Solve the daily Crossword
