Attorney General Alan Wilson announces Gilbert woman charged with stealing more than $10,000 from vulnerable adult

(COLUMBIA, S.C.) – South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced that his office’s Vulnerable Adults and Medicaid Provider Fraud unit (VAMPF) has arrested Gina B. Carnaggio, 58 years old, of Gilbert, S.C. 

Carnaggio faces the following charges:

• One count of Exploitation of a Vulnerable Adult (§ 43-35-85(D))
• One count of Breach of Trust with Fraudulent Intent, value $10,000 or more (§ 16-13-230(A))

Carnaggio was booked into the Lexington County Detention Center on March 17, 2026.

An investigation by VAMPF has uncovered allegations that Gina Carnaggio misused her power of attorney over a vulnerable adult.

From May 31, 2024, to July 28, 2025, Carnaggio is accused of improperly taking more than $10,000 from the victim's bank account for her personal benefit, with the alleged intent to permanently deprive the victim of those funds. According to investigators, she used the money for various personal purchases and conducted transactions through multiple buy-now-pay-later services.

At the time of the alleged misconduct, the victim—classified as a vulnerable adult under South Carolina law—was residing in an assisted living facility in Lexington, South Carolina.

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

South Carolina Felony Offenses and Penalties:

• Exploitation of a Vulnerable Adult – Felony, punishable by imprisonment for not more than 5 years, a fine of not more than $5,000, or both.
• Breach of Trust with Fraudulent Intent (value $10,000 or more) – Felony, punishable by imprisonment for not more than 10 years or a fine in the discretion of the court.

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.