A Niles couple faces several felony charges for allegedly making false claims through their counseling practice. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel says Gregory Barney has been charged with 22 counts of Medicaid fraud – false claim while his wife, Jacquelyn Barney, is charged with 17 counts of Medicaid fraud – false claim. Each charge is a four-year felony. The AG’s office says Gregory Barney is a licensed marriage and family counselor and the owner of Highland Counseling Center in Niles. Jacquelyn Barney is the office manager, administrator, and biller for the business. The attorney general’s case alleges she also worked as a biller for a separate medical office, and that she obtained patient information from that practice and billed Medicaid for counseling sessions provided by Highland Counseling Center and Gregory Barney that were never provided. The affected clients were contacted during the AG’s investigation and said they did not know Gregory Barney and were not counseled by him. The couple was arrested on Wednesday and will be arraigned on October 13 in Ingham County.
