Woman Convicted of Medicaid Fraud

Arkansas AG - News Releases

Filed March 6th, 2026

Detected March 19th, 2026

Summary

The Arkansas Attorney General's office announced the conviction of Kimberly Rios for Medicaid fraud. Rios was sentenced to probation, a fine, and restitution for submitting fraudulent claims for services not rendered. This case highlights the state's commitment to prosecuting those who defraud the Medicaid program.

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What changed

The Arkansas Attorney General's office has secured a conviction against Kimberly Rios for Medicaid fraud, a Class B felony. Rios was sentenced to five years of probation, a $500 fine plus court fees, and ordered to pay $11,317.25 in restitution. The fraud involved submitting false claims for in-home personal care services that were not actually provided.

This enforcement action serves as a clear warning to healthcare providers that fraudulent billing practices will be met with prosecution and accountability. Regulated entities should ensure their billing practices accurately reflect services rendered to avoid similar penalties. The case underscores the importance of robust internal compliance controls to prevent and detect fraudulent activities within healthcare services reimbursed by Medicaid.

What to do next

Review billing practices for in-home personal care services to ensure accuracy and compliance with Medicaid regulations.
Implement or enhance internal controls to detect and prevent fraudulent claims submission.
Ensure all submitted claims accurately reflect services provided and client locations.

Penalties

Five-year term of probation, $500 fine plus court fees, and restitution totaling $11,317.25.

Source document (simplified)

Attorney General Griffin Secures Conviction of West Memphis Woman for Medicaid Fraud

March 6, 2026

Griffin: ‘Those who attempt to cheat Medicaid for personal gain will be prosecuted and held accountable’

LITTLE ROCK – Attorney General Tim Griffin issued the following statement announcing the conviction of Kimberly Rios, 40, of West Memphis, on one count of Medicaid fraud, a Class B felony:

“Kimberly Rios was found guilty of felony Medicaid fraud earlier this week. She was sentenced to a five-year term of probation, a $500 fine plus court fees, and restitution totaling $11,317.25. Rios submitted claims for in-home personal care services that were not provided as reported. Records indicate Rios was not at or even near the clients’ residences at the times she claimed to have provided services. She improperly billed Medicaid for the services she never provided.

“Those who attempt to cheat Medicaid for personal gain will be prosecuted and held accountable. I commend the exceptional work done on this case by Special Agent Laura Glover and Senior Assistant Attorney General Leigh Patterson. I am also grateful for the assistance of Sixth Judicial District Prosecutor Will Jones in this case.”

The Arkansas MFCU receives 75% of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant totaling $4,781,516 for the Federal fiscal year 2026, of which $3,586,140 is federally funded. The remaining 25%, totaling $1,195,376 for the State fiscal year 2026, is funded by Arkansas General Revenue.

To download a PDF of this release, click here.

About Attorney General Tim Griffin

Tim Griffin was sworn in as the 57th Attorney General of Arkansas on January 10, 2023, having previously served as the state’s 20th Lieutenant Governor from 2015-2023. From 2011-2015, Griffin served as the 24th representative of Arkansas’s Second Congressional District, where he served on the House Committee on Ways and Means, House Armed Services Committee, House Committee on Foreign Affairs, House Committee on Ethics and House Committee on the Judiciary while also serving as a Deputy Whip for the Majority.

Griffin is currently an officer in the Arkansas Army National Guard and holds the rank of colonel. Griffin served as an officer in the U.S. Army Reserve Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps for more than 28 years. In 2005, Griffin was mobilized to active duty as an Army prosecutor at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, and served with the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) in Mosul, Iraq.

His previous assignments include serving as the Commander of the 2d Legal Operations Detachment in New Orleans, Louisiana; the Commander of the 134th Legal Operations Detachment at Fort Bragg, North Carolina; and as a Senior Legislative Advisor to the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness at the Pentagon. Griffin earned a master’s degree in strategic studies as a Distinguished Honor Graduate from the U.S. Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania.

Griffin also served as U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, and Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of Political Affairs for President George W. Bush; Special Assistant to Assistant Attorney General Michael Chertoff, Criminal Division, U.S. Department of Justice; Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Arkansas; Senior Investigative Counsel, Government Reform and Oversight Committee, U.S. House of Representatives; and Associate Independent Counsel, Office of Independent Counsel David M. Barrett, In re: HUD Secretary Henry Cisneros.

Griffin is a graduate of Magnolia High School, Hendrix College in Conway, and Tulane Law School in New Orleans. He attended graduate school at Oxford University. He is admitted to practice law in Arkansas (active) and Louisiana (inactive). Griffin lives in Little Rock with his wife, Elizabeth, a Camden native, and their three children.

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