Vermont Business Magazine The Attorney General’s Office announced that Lena McKirryher, 61, of Pittsford, Vermont, was sentenced today in Vermont Superior Court, Rutland Criminal Division, after pleading guilty to felony Medicaid fraud and felony neglect of a vulnerable adult that caused serious bodily injury.
The charges brought against the defendant were the result of an investigation conducted by the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud and Residential Abuse Unit (MFRAU) and Vermont State Police, which found that Ms. McKirryher, a Medicaid shared living provider for an individual with a medical history including epilepsy and developmental disabilities, failed to provide adequate care to the individual.
After the individual passed away in 2023, an autopsy revealed signs of neglect, including significant open wounds and malnutrition. A subsequent investigation also indicated that the individual’s medication had not been administered as prescribed and the individual had not attended regular medical appointments.
Following a contested sentencing hearing, during which the State argued for a sentence of two years of imprisonment plus penalties and Medicaid restitution, the Court, Judge Cortland Corsones presiding, ordered Ms. McKirryher to serve five years of probation. Additionally, Ms. McKirryher was ordered to pay a $10,000 penalty, pay $14,147.46 in restitution, complete 400 hours of community service, and complete a restorative justice program. Ms. McKirryher is also prohibited from caring for vulnerable adults in the future.
If you suspect Medicaid fraud, please contact the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud and Residential Abuse Unit (MFRAU) or submit a report using MFRAU's online reporting form.
The Medicaid Fraud and Residential Abuse Unit receives 75 percent of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant award totaling $1,497,780 for Federal fiscal year FY 2026. The remaining 25 percent, totaling $499,260 for FY 2026, is funded by the State of Vermont.
7.14.2026. Attorney General’s Office | 109 State Street | Montpelier, VT 05609-0101 | ago.vermont.gov
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