CINCINNATI, Ohio — Sharon Romaine Ward, 53, the former owner of Halo Home Healthcare, was sentenced Thursday to four years in federal prison for orchestrating a massive health care fraud scheme that defrauded Medicare, Medicaid, and the Department of Veterans Affairs out of more than $8.5 million over a six-year period.
The sentencing took place in U.S. District Court in Cincinnati, where Senior Judge Susan J. Dlott handed down the 48-month sentence. Ward, a former nurse practitioner from West Chester, pleaded guilty in June 2024 to health care fraud and filing a false income tax return.
According to federal prosecutors, Ward concealed her ownership of Halo Home Healthcare when she launched the company in 2015, due to a prior felony conviction for prescription fraud in 2013. That conviction led to a 10-year ban from participating in federal healthcare programs. Despite the ban, Ward secretly ran the business and submitted at least 92,770 false claims to Medicaid between 2016 and 2021.
Investigators say Ward’s company billed for services that were never provided—including charging Medicaid for home health visits while patients were hospitalized. Halo also employed more than 50 individuals with disqualifying criminal backgrounds, one of whom was later charged in a quadruple homicide.
Ward ultimately received more than $8.4 million from fraudulent claims. She also submitted false tax information, resulting in inaccurate tax returns and underpayment to the IRS.
As part of her sentence, Ward must pay:
- $8,403,299.24 in restitution to the Ohio Department of Medicaid
- $195,568.00 to the Department of Veterans Affairs
- $81,617 to the Internal Revenue Service
She is also required to file amended tax returns reflecting the accurate income from her business.
The case was the result of a multi-agency investigation involving the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, U.S. Secret Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, the VA Office of Inspector General, and the Ohio Attorney General’s Health Care Fraud Section.
“This sentencing sends a clear message: those who exploit public health programs for personal gain will be held accountable,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Kelly A. Norris of the Southern District of Ohio.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ebunoluwa A. Taiwo.
