Hart County man indicted for elder exploitation

ATLANTA — Attorney General Chris Carr announced Wednesday that Lawrence Montgomery Jr. has been indicted on one count of felony exploitation of an elder person in Hart County. The defendant was the personal representative for an elderly relative who lived in a nursing facility. In this capacity, he is alleged to have taken more than $8,600 in Social Security payments from this elderly relative and to have used those payments on personal expenses.

“This indictment is yet another step in our ongoing efforts to protect our most vulnerable Georgians,” Carr said. “With our Medicaid Fraud Division, we are working each day to ensure those who take advantage of older adults are held accountable for their actions. Elder exploitation of any kind will not be tolerated in our state.”

The Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Division presented evidence to a Hart County grand jury, resulting in the indictment of Montgomery on May 31.

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

The Medicaid Fraud Division receives 75% of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant award totaling $4,718,240 for federal FY 2023. The remaining 25%, totaling $1,395,464 for FY 2023, 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.

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