Reagan T. Fondren Acting United States Attorney for the Western District Of Tennessee | U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee
A Memphis woman received a 14-month federal prison sentence for healthcare fraud and false statements related to the COVID-19 Relief Program. Nakita Cannady, 49, will also undergo two years of supervised release and must pay over $500,000 in restitution following her sentencing on April 4, 2025. The sentence was announced by Joseph C. Murphy, Jr., Interim United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee.
Cannady owned What About Us In-Home Healthcare, a business she claimed offered round-the-clock custodial care. Between May 2017 and December 2019, she falsely billed Cigna Insurance for 24-hour services, knowing patients only received 8-12 hours of care. She must repay $193,508.10 to Cigna Insurance.
In addition, from June 2020 to April 2021, Cannady submitted six fraudulent loan applications for the Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loan. The applications, for four businesses including What About Us Childcare and What About Us Foundation, contained incorrect details about operations, revenue, and payroll. She must also repay the Small Business Administration $346,882.13.
"Those who exploit health care programs for personal gain will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law," stated Joseph E. Carrico, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Nashville Field Office. He emphasized the FBI's commitment to prioritize healthcare fraud investigations.
The case was prosecuted by Interim United States Attorney Joseph C. Murphy, Jr. and Assistant United States Attorney Raney Irwin, with support from Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Cotten and former Assistant United States Attorneys Courtney Lewis and Murrell Foster. The investigation involved the FBI Nashville Field Office – Memphis Resident Agency and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
