South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced that two Upstate Medicaid providers have been arrested on charges of alleged Medicaid provider fraud. The suspects, Tami Ferguson Stewart, 65, from Simpsonville, and Sydney R. Weiss, 27, from Pickens, were taken into custody following an investigation by the office’s Vulnerable Adults and Medicaid Provider Fraud unit (VAMPF).
The investigation determined that between September 27, 2023, and February 25, 2024, Stewart and Weiss allegedly conspired to defraud the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (SCDHHS), which is responsible for administering the state’s Medicaid program.
According to investigators, both defendants face felony charges. The case will be prosecuted by the Attorney General’s Office.
VAMPF operates under federal regulations with authority over cases involving Medicaid provider fraud; abuse and neglect of Medicaid beneficiaries in any setting; as well as abuse, neglect, or 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.”
Funding for the South Carolina Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (operating as VAMPF) comes primarily from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through a grant totaling $2,964,287 for fiscal year 2026. The remaining portion—$988,096—is provided by the State of South Carolina.
