AG WRIGLEY ANNOUNCES GUILTY VERDICT IN CASE PROSECUTED BY MEDICAID FRAUD CONTROL UNIT

11 Oct AG WRIGLEY ANNOUNCES GUILTY VERDICT IN CASE PROSECUTED BY MEDICAID FRAUD CONTROL UNIT

October 11, 2022

    _{Media contact: Attorney General Drew H. Wrigley, 701-328-2210}

BISMARCK, ND – A jury found Gracious Weah guilty of Aggravated Assault causing permanent impairment and Reckless Endangerment, on September 23, in Barnes County. 

The evidence at trial showed that Weah, a certified nurse aide, performed an improper, one-person lift of a resident of the Sheyenne Care Center resulting in severe and painful injuries to the resident. The evidence also showed Weah failed to report the injury causing the resident to be undiagnosed and untreated for more than 12 hours.    

“Weah callously committed these horrible crimes against a vulnerable adult. I want to thank the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit for thoroughly investigating this crime and successfully pursuing justice. My thoughts are with the family of the victim, and I hope that holding Weah accountable provides them with some measure of healing,” Attorney General Wrigley said.

Weah is being held in custody until the date of her sentencing hearing on November 29, 2022.  The sentencing hearing will be held in Valley City with the Honorable Jay Schmitz presiding. 

The case was investigated and prosecuted by the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, a division of the North Dakota Attorney General’s Office, with assistance from the Valley City Police Department.

The NDMFCU receives 90% of its funds from the US DHHS under a 2022 grant and 10% from the State of North Dakota.

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