A federal judge sentenced a Kinston woman to 6 years in federal prison and ordered her to pay restitution of $15,286,912.91 to North Carolina Medicaid and $373,810.00 to the Internal Revenue Service. On August 14, 2025, Francine Sims Super, age 64, pleaded guilty to a healthcare fraud conspiracy, which included making and receiving illegal payments, making and using materially false documents, and failing to file a tax return.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Super worked as an office manager of Life Touch LLC, a substance abuse treatment company based in Kinston and Goldsboro.
Super and others paid more than $1 million in kickbacks to patients in the form of gift cards to induce patients to register for services.
“This Defendant and others submitted to their own greed, enriching themselves by stealing straight from the pockets of American taxpayers,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “Some folks call this 'white-collar crime,' but the U.S. Attorney’s Office calls all crime, pure and simple. If you illegally line your pockets with stolen American tax dollars, we will prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law and scrape back every penny we find. Cheaters never win.”
Over four years, Super and other Life Touch LLC employees and agents paid patients based on the number of days per week they showed up to receive services.
"Healthcare fraud not only imposes a financial burden on American taxpayers, but also undermines the integrity of programs designed to support those in genuine need,” said FBI Charlotte Special Agent in Charge James C. Barnacle Jr. "The FBI and our federal and state partners are committed to a coordinated approach to prevent and address fraud against the government, which ultimately harms taxpayers and the public at large."
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To hide her scheme, Super created false documents intended to deceive Medicaid auditors. The gift card inducements resulted in more than $12 million in Medicaid payments to Life Touch LLC.
“Healthcare fraud schemes cheat the taxpayers while also undermining trust in healthcare agencies,” said Charlotte Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Trey Eakins. “IRS-CI special agents will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to pursue individuals who try to exploit federal relief programs for their personal gain.”
Super and others also received kickbacks from 1st Choice Healthcare Services, LLC, a lab company hired to perform drug testing services for Life Touch LLC patients. Super also failed to file a tax return that accounted for this income.
“Kickback arrangements distort health care decisions by introducing hidden financial motives, misleading patients, driving unnecessary services, and exploiting taxpayer-funded programs for personal gain,” said Special Agent in Charge Kelly Blackmon of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG, along with our law enforcement partners, remains committed to investigating improper billing and kickback schemes to safeguard Medicaid and its beneficiaries.”
Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The FBI, IRS, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - OIG, and the North Carolina AG’s Office – Medicaid Investigations Division investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney William M. Gilmore and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tasha Gardner prosecuted the case.
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