MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) — A Memphis caregiver has been indicted and arrested following a Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) probe into suspected Medicaid fraud and financial exploitation.
According to the TBI, 44-year-old Tareka Lashun Smith, a supervisor and caregiver at a Shelby County care facility, is accused of using the bank cards of 21 vulnerable adult residents to make unauthorized cash withdrawals totaling over $42,000.
The investigation began in July 2024 after agents received reports of financial misconduct involving residents in a Medicaid-funded facility. Authorities determined that the alleged thefts occurred between November 2022 and July 2024.
Smith has now been indicted and taken into custody. She faces multiple charges related to fraud, exploitation of vulnerable adults, and unauthorized use of financial instruments.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by the TBI and state agencies to protect elderly and disabled Tennesseans from abuse and exploitation.
