Federal authorities have charged a Wisconsin woman and a doctor in separate health care fraud and drug diversion cases, part of a nationwide takedown that resulted in charges against 455 defendants for schemes involving more than $6.5 billion in false claims.
Jasmine Cooper, 37, of Brown Deer, was charged by information with health care fraud and aggravated identity theft. Cooper, who operated a prenatal care coordination agency meant to assist at-risk pregnant women and mothers, submitted thousands of false claims to Wisconsin Medicaid between 2019 and 2022, authorities said. She claimed her company provided services that beneficiaries never received and misrepresented the duration, frequency, dates and nature of those services.
Cooper allegedly billed more than $5.8 million in fraudulent claims, of which more than $5.4 million was paid by the program,. She also used another person’s identification without lawful authority as part of the scheme. A signed plea agreement was filed the same day indicating Cooper intends to plead guilty. Her change of plea hearing is set for July 9 before Chief U.S. District Judge Pamela Pepper.
The case is one of five similar prenatal care coordination fraud schemes charged in the Eastern District of Wisconsin, which together cost Medicaid more than $15.5 million from 2019 to 2022. The FBI investigated with assistance from the Wisconsin Department of Justice Medicaid Fraud and Elder Abuse Control Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kate M. Biebel and Julie F. Stewart are prosecuting.
In a separate case, Dr. Jerry Jones III, 70, of Mequon, was charged by information with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. Jones, authorized by the Drug Enforcement Administration to prescribe controlled substances for legitimate medical purposes, instead conspired between January 2021 and September 2025 to distribute them outside the usual course of professional practice, authorities said.
He distributed 12,885 pills of Adderall, 8,121 pills of Ritalin and tens of thousands of units of other controlled substances including buprenorphine, benzodiazepines and pregabalin, the information alleges. A plea agreement filed the same day shows Jones intends to plead guilty. His change of plea hearing is scheduled for June 29 before U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman. He agreed to forfeit $294,850.72. The DEA investigated, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie F. Stewart is prosecuting.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad D. Schimel announced the Wisconsin cases as part of a Justice Department national action announced Tuesday. The effort spanned 56 federal districts and involved 50 state Medicaid Fraud Control Units. It included international arrests and the seizure of more than $182 million in assets.
