South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced that Cher Deneane Cantrell, 58, of Spartanburg, has been arrested by the office’s Vulnerable Adults and Medicaid Provider Fraud unit (VAMPF). Cantrell was booked into the Spartanburg County Detention Center on December 18, 2025.
The VAMPF investigation alleges that Cantrell misused her authority as power of attorney for a vulnerable adult. According to investigators, between March 11 and July 24, 2024, she is accused of diverting approximately $10,292.56 from the victim’s funds for her personal use and allegedly intended to permanently deprive the victim of these resources. The victim was residing at Magnolia Manor, an assisted living facility in Inman, South Carolina, during this period.
The Attorney General’s Office will prosecute this case. VAMPF operates under federal regulations with authority over Medicaid provider fraud; abuse and neglect of Medicaid beneficiaries in any setting; and abuse, neglect, and exploitation in assisted living facilities or nursing homes.
Attorney General Wilson stated: “All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty in a court of law.”
The South Carolina Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (VAMPF) receives 75 percent of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through a grant totaling $2,964,287 for federal fiscal year 2026. The remaining 25 percent ($988,096) is funded by South Carolina.
As the state’s chief legal advocate and enforcer [source], the South Carolina Attorney General prosecutes cases involving vulnerable adults and collaborates with law enforcement across South Carolina [source]. The office also provides advocacy and resources to support crime victims [source].
Alan Wilson leads the Attorney General’s office [source], which maintains operations throughout the state [source].
