Court rules former daycare provider must pay $370,000

GRAND RAPIDS (AP) - An appeals court says a former daycare provider must pay more than $370,000 for billing the state for childcare services she never rendered.

The Grand Rapids Press reports Monica Onette Robinson operated A Precious Creation daycare in Grand Rapids until the state shut it down.

Authorities say Robinson billed the Michigan Department of Human Services. According to court records, investigators found she sometimes billed for an entire day when there were no children at the daycare center that had a maximum capacity of 21.

State investigators believe about 153,000 hours were falsely reported.

Robinson was charged with multiple welfare fraud counts. She pleaded no contest to one count and received a six month jail sentence.

Robinson appealed the restitution amount. The state Court of Appeals recently upheld the amount.

Published: Thu, Nov 19, 2015