Attorney General Alan Wilson announces arrest of Horry Co. case manager for forgery, Medicaid fraud

(COLUMBIA, S.C.) – South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced that his office’s Vulnerable Adults and Medicaid Provider Fraud unit (VAMPF) has arrested Brett John Lerner, 32 years old, of Longs, S.C., for Forgery, value less than $10,000 {16-13-0010(A)} and Medical Assistance Provider Fraud {43-07-0060}. Lerner was booked into the J. Reuben Long Detention Center on October 2, 2025.

A VAMPF investigation revealed that between March 25, 2024, and June 27, 2024, Lerner allegedly submitted false payment claims to the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the state’s Medicaid program. As a case manager at the SC Autism Society, Lerner is accused of falsifying case notes and quarterly review plans, claiming services were provided to Medicaid beneficiaries when no such services were rendered.

The case will be prosecuted by the Attorney General’s Office.

Charges and Penalties:

• Forgery (value less than $10,000): Classified as a felony, punishable by up to five years in prison and/or a fine at the court’s discretion.
• Medical Assistance Provider Fraud: Classified as a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to three years in prison and a fine of up to $1,000.

Pursuant to federal regulations, VAMPF has authority over Medicaid provider fraud; abuse and neglect of Medicaid beneficiaries in any setting; and the abuse, neglect, and exploitation of individuals residing in assisted living facilities or nursing homes. 

Attorney General Wilson stressed all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty in a court of law.

The South Carolina Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, dba VAMPF, receives 75 percent of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant award totaling $2,964,287 for federal fiscal year 2026. The remaining 25 percent, totaling $988,096 for FFY 2026, is funded by South Carolina.