Attorney General Alan Wilson announces Columbia woman arrested for 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 Elisha K. Zimmerman, 35 years old, of Columbia, S.C. Zimmerman was booked into the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center on April 28, 2026.

Charges:

Zimmerman was charged with:

• One count of Forgery, value less than $10,000 {§ 16-13-0010(A)}
• One count of Medical Assistance Provider Fraud {§ 43-07-0060}

A VAMPF investigation revealed that, between April 4, 2025, and November 10, 2025, Zimmerman allegedly signed and presented false timesheets for services to be billed to the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (SCDHHS), the agency that administers the state’s Medicaid program.

Specifically, it is alleged that Zimmerman submitted fraudulent timesheets to her employer, Bright Start, representing that she provided in-home support services to a Medicaid beneficiary when, in fact, she had not.

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

South Carolina Felony Offenses and Penalties:

• Forgery, value $10,000 or less – Felony, punishable by imprisonment for not more than 5 years and/or a fine at the discretion of the court.

• Medical Assistance Provider Fraud – Class A misdemeanor, punishable by imprisonment for not more than 3 years, and a fine of not more than $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 that 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.