Spalding County Couple Indicted on Charges of Operating an Unlicensed Personal Care Home

Attorney General Chris Carr, Griffin Judicial Circuit District Attorney Marie M. Broder, and Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia Executive Director Pete Skandalakis announced the indictment of Curtis Bankston and Sophia Simm-Bankston in Spalding County. Both defendants are charged with Operating an Unlicensed Personal Care Home, Unreasonable Confinement of a Disabled Adult, and Unreasonable Confinement of a Resident. This case is being jointly prosecuted by the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Division and the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia on behalf of District Attorney Marie Broder.

“The abuse, neglect, or exploitation of Georgia’s older and at-risk adults is absolutely unacceptable and will not be tolerated,” said Attorney General Chris Carr. “Addressing the issue of unlicensed personal care homes is critical to ensuring the safety of our most vulnerable Georgians. We cannot and will not allow these types of operations to fall under the radar.”

“There are few things more reprehensible than abusing those who cannot care for themselves, but profiting from that abuse is truly despicable,” said Griffin Judicial Circuit District Attorney Marie Broder. “These defendants took advantage of people that were entrusted to their care, and the District Attorney’s Office is grateful for the expertise that the Attorney General and the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council bring to the prosecution of these acts.”

“Every person with a disability deserves dignity and a safe and secure place to live,” said Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council Executive Director Pete Skandalakis. “That is why we must hold unlicensed care homes accountable for their illegal conduct. It is always an honor to work with Griffin Judicial Circuit District Attorney Marie Broder and her team in their tireless efforts to obtain justice for victims.”

Prosecutors presented evidence to a Spalding County Grand Jury, resulting in the indictment* of Curtis Bankston and Sophia Simm-Bankston on March 21, 2024. Specifically, the defendants are facing the following charges:

Curtis Bankston:

• 1 count of Operating an Unlicensed Personal Care Home
• 6 counts of Unreasonable Confinement of a Disabled Adult
• 1 count of Unreasonable Confinement of a Resident

Sophia Simm-Bankston:

• 1 count of Operating an Unlicensed Personal Care Home
• 6 counts of Unreasonable Confinement of a Disabled Adult
• 1 count of Unreasonable Confinement of a Resident

This case was investigated by the Griffin Police Department, the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Division, and the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia.

A copy of the indictment can be found  here . No further information about the indictment or the investigation may be released at this time.

About the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Division

Since Attorney General Chris Carr first took office, his Medicaid Fraud Division has secured 89 convictions for Medicaid fraud and the abuse, neglect and exploitation of older adults, resulting in $19,373,894.15 in restitution orders in criminal matters. Over this same time period, the Medicaid Fraud Division has obtained civil settlements and judgements totaling $108,833,926.70 as a result of its efforts to safeguard the Georgia Medicaid program.

The Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Division receives 75 percent of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant award totaling $4,871,744 for Federal FY 2024. The remaining 25 percent, totaling $1,623,912 for FY 2024, is funded by the State of Georgia.

*Members of the public should keep in mind that indictments contain only allegations against the individual against whom the indictment is sought. A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty, and it will be the government’s burden at trial to prove the defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of the allegations contained in the indictment.