**6 Kentuckiana-area residents charged**
* As part of the DOJ’s 2025 Health Care Fraud Takedown—totaling over **\$14.6 billion** in alleged fraud—**six individuals from the Kentuckiana region** now face federal charges.
* Specifically, in the Western District of Kentucky, **five people** from Louisville, Springfield, Jeffersonville, Crestwood, and elsewhere were charged with various offenses tied to Medicaid fraud and controlled-substance diversion .
* Across the Eastern District of Virginia, **another person** was charged; but that’s outside the Kentuckiana cluster.
### Who they are and what they’re accused of:
1. **Ashley Barnett (41, Louisville, KY)** – Veterinarian. Allegedly used someone else’s DEA registration to prescribe over **25,000 Schedule II** controlled substances in the names of dogs (including deceased/fictitious) and diverted buprenorphine. Also accused of filing false Medicaid claim .
2. **Laura Webb (37, Springfield, KY)** – Veterinarian. Accused alongside Barnett in DEA-registration and prescription fraud.
3. **Rachel Goldstein (43, Jeffersonville, IN)** – Veterinary professional. Allegedly conspired with Barnett to obtain controlled substances by deception and submitted a fraudulent dextroamphetamine Medicaid clain.
4. **Kristina Coomer (43, Louisville, KY)** – Pharmacy worker. Charged with theft of oxycodone from the pharmacy supply chain.
5. **Matthew Ryan Elkins (40, Crestwood, KY)** – Nurse anesthetist. Allegedly tampered with fentanyl/bupivacaine syringes, stole fentanyl vials, and burglarized a DEA-registered business to obtain drugs.
6. **The sixth individual** was cited in national summaries, but specific local details haven’t yet been disclosed beyond noting six Kentuckiana charges
### Why this matters
This local case is part of the **largest health care fraud operation in U.S. history**, involving over **324 defendants** and an estimated \$14.6 billion in fraudulent claims nationwide ([justice.gov][1]). The national sweep targeted schemes from telemedicine abuse and sham pharmacies to kickback clinics and dangerous drug diversions.
### What’s next?
* These are all **allegations**; everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
* The cases for the 5 Western KY defendants are being prosecuted by the **U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky**, in coordination with DEA, FBI, IRS-CI, FDA-OCI, Kentucky State Police, Louisville Metro PD, and state health investigators
If you’re interested in more info—such as legal documents, court filings, or progress updates—you can check the DOJ Western Kentucky or national press releases.
