Attorney General Ashley Moody's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit has announced the arrest of Ira Roberts for financially exploiting an elderly Escambia resident. Roberts was found to have taken more than $17,000 from the senior's bank account over an 18-month period, using the funds for personal bills and purchases from various stores.
Moody expressed her dismay at the situation, stating, "This man, while serving in a position of trust as a power of attorney, stole more than $17,000 from a senior victim's bank account to use on himself. It is shameful that instead of faithfully fulfilling the role of power of attorney, he stole thousands of dollars to pay his own utilities and bills from DoorDash, Netflix, Amazon and other stores. I am thankful for our Medicaid Fraud Control Unit for stopping this exploitation."
The investigation revealed that Roberts, in a position of trust with the 82-year-old victim, transferred over $44,000 from the victim's account into his own between June 2021 and December 2022. More than $17,000 of these funds were spent on personal expenses, rather than for the benefit of the victim.
Roberts now faces one count of exploitation of an elderly person or disabled adult, less than $50,000—a second-degree felony. The case will be prosecuted by Attorney General Moody's MFCU in collaboration with the State Attorney's Office for the First Judicial Circuit.
The Florida Attorney General's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigates and prosecutes providers who defraud the state's Medicaid program through fraudulent billing practices. The MFCU also looks into allegations of patient abuse, neglect, and exploitation in facilities receiving Medicaid payments.
Funding for Florida's MFCU comes from a grant of $29,707,695 for Federal Fiscal Year 2024, provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General. The Federal Share of these funds is 75%, totaling $22,280,772, with the State Matching Share at 25%, totaling $7,426,923 and funded by Florida.