EUSTIS, Florida—A report of identity theft at a Eustis bank last year launched a seven-month investigation that unraveled a mother-daughter Medicaid fraud scheme that culminated in a search warrant and an arrest earlier this month, according to an arrest affidavit.
In September 2022, Eustis Police Department responded to Wells Fargo, 16949 U.S. Highway 441 after a man reported his identity had been stolen and used to open a bank account. A lengthy investigation revealed the account was used to funnel money to Heather Linette Steverson, 55, and her daughter, Jessica Linette Chechile, 34, for alleged rides they gave to Medicaid patients, according to the affidavit.
EPD detectives found the mileage and time claimed to provide the rides did not add up, in addition to Chechile providing four rides while she was incarcerated at the Lake County Jail for possession of several drugs, including methamphetamine, morphine, dilaudid and oxycodone. EPD was also provided numerous recorded phone calls made by Steverson setting up rides while she pretended to be someone else.
Chechile was taken into custody after her bond was revoked in February for a prior drug charge and is now facing 174 charges in this case, including 79 counts each of forgery and uttering a forged document; 11 counts of criminal use of personal identification, and one count each of Medicaid recipient fraud, organized fraud, unlawful use of a two-way communication device, grand theft and racketeering. She is being held on no bond due to the revocation.
Her mother is facing 33 counts each of forgery and uttering a forged document, 13 counts of criminal use of personal identification one count each of Medicaid recipient fraud, organized fraud, unlawful use of a two-way communication device, grand theft and racketeering; in addition to two counts of possession of Oxycodone that was found on her when she was picked up on the warrant. She is being held on $247,000 bond.
