Others charged, convicted
Here’s a closer look at some of the other people who have been charged or have pleaded guilty to corruptionrelated charges involving public money or public policy:
MEDICAID FRAUD
• Helen Balding, former billing director at Preferred Family Healthcare, is charged with two felony counts of Medicaid fraud. She is accused of instructing her staff to illegally bill the program at former state Department of Human Services auditor Robin Raveendran’s direction. Balding received $59,000 from one of lobbyist Rusty Cranford’s firms and $85,000 from a separate, unnamed “mental health Medicaid provider” between January 2015 and December 2017, according to an affidavit from the Arkansas Attorney General’s office. Balding also earned “at least $194,000” in that two-year span from Preferred Family, the affidavit says.
• Chirie Bazzelle, of New Beginnings Behavioral Health Services, pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count on July 14. Bazzelle, of Benton, admitted to obstructing governmental operations in failing to disclose contracts with lobbyist Rusty Cranford and Raveendran. Bazzelle agreed to pay a $500 fine and $5,000 restitution.
• Vicki Chisam, 66, former Preferred Family Healthcare worker, pleaded guilty on July 22, 2019, to theft of property, a felony. Chisam found a way to illegally bill Medicaid and helped facilitate $3 million in improper billings for Preferred Family, according to court documents. Prosecutors said Chisam cooperated with the investigation. She was sentenced in July 2019 to a three-year suspended prison sentence and a $1,000 fine.
BRIBES, EMBEZZLEMENT
• David Carl Hayes, Springfield, Mo., accountant and former employee of Preferred Family predecessor Alternative Opportunities, pleaded guilty June 12, 2017, in two fraud schemes, including embezzling $1.97 million from an arm of Alternative Opportunities. Died Nov. 20, 2017, apparent suicide. • Donald Andrew Jones, former Philadelphia lobbyist for Preferred Family and its predecessor, pleaded guilty Dec. 18, 2017, to one count of conspiracy. Admitted accepting $973,800 from Preferred Family between 2011 and 2016 for illegal political lobbying in Congress and Arkansas. Sentenced Dec. 16 to one year and a day in federal prison, forfeiture of $973,807. Serving time at a minimum security facility in Philadelphia with a
Dec. 16, 2020 release date.
• Keith Noble, former senior executive at Preferred Family, pleaded guilty Sept. 11, 2018, to one count of concealing knowledge of a felony in connection with schemes by four other top executives to divert money from the nonprofit to enrich themselves. Noble has requested a sentence of probation, along with paying $4.3 million in restitution. He awaits sentencing.
• Marilyn Nolan, former chief executive officer at Preferred Family, pleaded guilty Nov. 8, 2018, to one count of conspiracy in connection with working with other company executives and political lobbyists to bribe Arkansas lawmakers to influence laws and regulations. Also admitted stealing $4.1 million from the company. Awaits sentencing.
• Jerry Walsh, 73, founder and longtime executive director of South Arkansas Youth Services, pleaded guilty to a federal conspiracy charge in July 2018 for funneling more than $380,000 of the nonprofit’s money to Cranford and others. He received a 2½-year prison sentence and restitution of nearly $516,000. Between the state fiscal years 2011 and 2015, the nonprofit received $75.6 million, mostly from the state government, according to Walsh’s plea.
• Benjamin Burris, former Arkansas orthodontist, has pleaded not guilty to charges of honest-services wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit honest-services wire fraud. Accused of paying bribes to former state Sen. Jeremy Hutchinson to pass laws Burris favored. Awaits trial, June 21, 2021. Burris paid Hutchinson $157,500 between February 2014 and November 2016, with checks of $20,000, $5,000 and $2,500, according to a 20-page federal indictment.
PUBLIC OFFICIALS
• Former Sen. Jake Files, R-Fort Smith, pleaded guilty in January 2018 to charges of wire fraud, money laundering and bank fraud in a scheme to fraudulently obtain a $56,700 loan and $46,500 in state general improvement funds. He was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison in June 2018 and ordered to pay $84,000 restitution. He was released to home detention November 2019.
• Former Rep. Hank Wilkins III, D-Pine Bluff, pleaded guilty April 30, 2018, in federal court to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds. Wilkins is accused of helping pass laws to benefit Preferred Family and Walsh’s nonprofit and receiving more than $80,000 in cash through Cranford and his lobbying firm. Wilkins awaits sentencing.
• Former Rep. Eddie Cooper, D-Melbourne, pleaded guilty Feb. 13, 2018, in federal court in Springfield, Mo., to one count of conspiracy to embezzle more than $4 million from Preferred Family. He was accused of working with Cranford to use the nonprofit’s money illegally for lobbying and political campaign contributions. Cooper awaits sentencing.