ATTORNEY GENERAL RAOUL: SUBURBAN CHICAGO COUPLE PLEAD GUILTY, SENTENCED IN MEDICAID FRAUD CASE

Chicago – Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced that a suburban Chicago couple pleaded guilty to defrauding the state out of more than $23,000 in Medicaid funds.

Michael Niekamp, 65, and Tina Niekamp, 63, both of Tinley Park, Illinois, each pleaded guilty in Cook County Circuit Court on Thursday to one count of theft. Both defendants were sentenced to two years of second chance probation and were ordered to pay total restitution to the Illinois Department of Human Services in the amount of $23,711.20. Each defendant was ordered to pay $11,855.60 and paid half of the required amount in court on Thursday.

“Illinois’ Medicaid program provides vital in-home support services to thousands of individuals with disabilities across the state, and I am pleased that we were able to recover stolen funds,” Raoul said. “My office’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit will continue to partner with state and federal agencies to hold individuals who cheat our systems accountable.”

According to Attorney General Raoul’s office, Tina Niekamp was assigned by the Illinois Department of Human Services – Developmental Disabilities Division to provide in-home assistance to her disabled sister. Raoul’s office alleged that between May 2023 and February 2024, Tina Niekamp submitted claims for services while her sister was admitted to an inpatient facility. Michael Niekamp approved Tina’s fraudulent timecards.

Raoul’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) opened an investigation into the Niekamps after receiving a referral from the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services – Office of the Inspector General (HFS-OIG).

“Today’s sentence, and the investigation and indictment that led to it, underscore Illinois’s unwavering commitment to protecting the integrity of the Medicaid program,” said HFS Inspector General Brian Dunn. “We are proud of our continued partnership with the Attorney General’s Office to safeguard Medicaid funds and ensure they serve the individuals who rely on these essential services.”

Raoul’s MFCU receives 75% of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant award totaling $12,292,668 for the federal government’s 2027 fiscal year. The remaining 25%, totaling $4,097,556 for the federal government’s 2027 fiscal year, is funded by the state of Illinois.

Assistant Attorney General Dan Duffy prosecuted this case for Raoul’s MFCU.

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