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Mississippi couple accused of defrauding Louisiana Medicaid by claiming they lived in state

1 hour 40 minutes 16 seconds ago Tuesday, August 05 2025 Aug 5, 2025 August 05, 2025 11:40 AM August 05, 2025 in News
Source: WBRZ

BATON ROUGE — A Mississippi couple was arrested by the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation after allegedly claiming they still lived in Louisiana to receive hundreds of thousands of dollars in Louisiana Medicaid benefits. 

Vincent and Elina DeLeon, 51 and 35, were arrested Monday after LBI was tipped off to their alleged scheme by the Louisiana Department of Health.

The Carriere couple allegedly falsely claimed that they were residents of St. Tammany Parish via their marriage license and place of residence. This happened between March 2023 and June 2025. 

According to an affidavit, the couple registered for a marriage license in St. Tammany in 2022 before registering with a business with the Mississippi Secretary of State in 2023. 

Agents said the couple moved to Mississippi about two years before their scheme was discovered. As a result, they defrauded $162,000 from Medicaid. 

The pair were arrested on government benefits fraud and face up to five years in prison and a fine of $10,000.

"As we've seen in the last few years, whether you're in Louisiana, Mississippi, or Florida, and you defraud the hardworking taxpayers of Louisiana, we will find you and prosecute you. The days of abusing the system are over," Attorney General Liz Murrill said.

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