Lexington County, SC 01/05/2022 (Paul Kirby) – SC Attorney General Alan Wilson’s office announced Wednesday that an Irmo man has been arrested for Financial Transaction Card Fraud, and Exploitation of a Vulnerable Adult. The arrest was made by the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (SCMFCU). Wilson said that the suspect, Sidney Lawrence Durham, 42, was booked into the Lexington County Detention Center on December 23rd of last year.
SCMFCU investigators found that Durham, an employee of the Twilite Manor Adult Residential Care facility in Cayce, illegally obtained a resident’s debit card while at work. The resident of that facility is considered a vulnerable adult under South Carolina law during the time the alleged theft occurred. Durham then used the debit card to make unlawful and unauthorized purchases and/or obtain cash. The value of the fraud exceeded $500 within a six-month period. Additionally, Durham faces an enhancement to the Financial Transaction Card Fraud charge because he has a prior criminal history.
Financial Transaction Card Fraud that exceeds $500 in a six-month period is considered a felony in South Carolina and upon conviction, has a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a fine between $3,000 and $5,000, or both. Exploitation of a Vulnerable Adult is also a felony. If Durham is convicted on this crime, the penalty can be up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $5,000, or both. The court may also order the defendant to pay restitution. A third or subsequent conviction of certain property crimes can result in a prison term of up to 10 years in prison.
Pursuant to federal regulations, the SCMFCU has authority over Medicaid provider fraud; abuse and neglect of Medicaid beneficiaries in any setting; and the abuse, neglect, and exploitation of individuals residing in assisted living facilities or nursing homes.
Attorney General Wilson stressed in his announcement that all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty in a court of law.
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