Woman Sentenced To 6 Years In Prison, Ordered To Repay Over $15 Million In Restitution

NEW BERN, N.C. – This week, a federal judge sentenced a Kinston woman to 6 years in federal prison and ordered her to pay restitution in the amount of $15,286,912.91 to North Carolina Medicaid and $373,810.00 to 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, 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. Over four years, Super and other Life Touch LLC employees and agents, paid patients based on the number of days per week that the patients showed up to receive services. To try and hide her scheme, Super created false documents intended to deceive Medicaid auditors. The gift card inducements resulted in more than $12 million in payments from Medicaid to Life Touch LLC.

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.

“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 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.”

“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.”

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.