District Attorney Gregory D. Totten announced today that Maria Gonzalez-Santos (DOB 9/23/72), of Simi Valley, was arrested and booked in the Ventura County jail for forgery and fraudulent claims to a health care program. In addition, Sorayda Basbas (DOB 7/31/51), of Oxnard; Enriquita Garnica (DOB 2/04/43), of Fillmore; and Martha Hernandez (DOB 1/18/57), of Port Hueneme, were cited and released on charges of fraudulent claims to a health care program. Investigators from the District Attorney's Bureau of Investigation, Ventura County Sheriffs Department, and the California State Department of Health Care Services conducted the operation in the mid-morning hours. Investigators anticipate that additional arrests will result from the In Home Support Services (IHSS) criminal investigation in the coming weeks.
IHSS is a government program supported by the State of California and administered by the Ventura County Human Services Agency. The program is intended to assist individuals with physical or medical limitations, allowing them to stay in their own home as opposed to being placed into a care facility. The program matches individuals with physical or medical limitations with care providers to assist them with tasks ranging from shopping and meal preparation to skilled medical care. IHSS awards benefits by hours to hire a care provider.
The District Attorney and the Human Services Agency have combined resources to establish monitoring systems in the IHSS program, to detect fraud and conduct timely investigations. Elderly and medically limited clients can be victimized by unscrupulous care providers. A strong fraud detection program is essential to protect the client and the integrity of the IHSS program. The District Attorney and the Human Services Agency are dedicated to helping qualified IHSS clients live safely in their homes.