BROCKTON, MA — Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell and Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz announced the indictment of three individuals in connection with the death of 79-year-old Dinora Cardoso and a large-scale Medicaid fraud scheme. Eva Cardoso, Kayla Cardoso, and Lisa Hamilton were arraigned in Brockton Superior Court on various charges, including manslaughter, caretaker neglect, larceny, and Medicaid fraud.
The charges stem from the women’s alleged role in the care and supervision of Dinora Cardoso, who died in May 2023. According to the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) and the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office (DAO), Eva Cardoso, Dinora’s daughter, was hired as her personal care attendant (PCA), while Kayla Cardoso, Eva’s daughter and Dinora’s granddaughter, served as her healthcare proxy and PCA Program Surrogate. The two women are accused of falsely billing MassHealth (the Massachusetts Medicaid program) for services they did not provide, including for times when Dinora was hospitalized or deceased. Investigators also discovered that Eva regularly transferred a portion of her PCA checks to Kayla.
Between 2012 and 2023, MassHealth paid Eva Cardoso more than $140,000 for personal care services provided to Dinora. However, the investigation revealed that the women did not provide the level of care they were billing for.
On May 17, 2023, Eva Cardoso called 911, reporting that Dinora needed an ambulance. When first responders arrived at the home, they found Dinora in an alarming condition — covered in cockroaches, bedbugs, and feces. She was rushed to the hospital, where she died two days later from necrotizing fasciitis and sepsis caused by infected ulcers.
Lisa Hamilton, a registered nurse employed to visit Dinora regularly, is accused of failing to report the abuse during her weekly checks. Seven days before the 911 call, Hamilton allegedly visited Dinora and reported that she was clean, alert, and well cared for, despite evidence to the contrary. Investigators noted that Dinora’s medical records showed severe complications from uncontrolled diabetes, and an expert entomologist confirmed that the insect infestation at the home would have developed over several weeks, not days.
The three women were indicted by a grand jury on November 19, and arrested and arraigned in court on November 22. They face the following charges:
- Eva Cardoso, 53, of Brockton: Manslaughter, Caretaker Neglect (Causing Serious Bodily Injury), Caretaker Neglect (Permitting or Committing Abuse, Neglect, or Mistreatment), Medicaid Fraud, Larceny over $1,200. Bail set at $5,000 with conditions including no contact with witnesses, no out-of-state travel, and no employment in healthcare settings involving children or elderly patients.
- Kayla Cardoso, 31, of Brockton: Caretaker Neglect (Causing Serious Bodily Injury), Caretaker Neglect (Permitting or Committing Abuse, Neglect, or Mistreatment), Medicaid Fraud, Larceny over $1,200. Bail set at $500 with conditions including no contact with witnesses, no out-of-state travel, and no healthcare employment involving vulnerable patients.
- Lisa Hamilton, 64, of Stoughton: Caretaker Neglect (Causing Serious Bodily Injury), Caretaker Neglect (Permitting or Committing Abuse, Neglect, or Mistreatment), Fraudulent Claims. Bail set at $500 with conditions including no contact with witnesses, no out-of-state travel, and no employment in healthcare settings involving children or elderly patients (Hamilton may continue working as a nurse with supervision).
The defendants are scheduled to return to court for a pre-trial hearing on January 15, 2024.
This case is being handled by Assistant Attorney General Heidi Gosule, Supervising Investigator Dean Bates, Investigator Ashley Marquez, and Senior Trial Attorney Elisha Willis of the AGO’s Medicaid Fraud Division, in collaboration with Sharon Thibeault of the Plymouth DAO. They were assisted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, the Massachusetts State Police assigned to the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office, and the Office of the State Auditor’s Bureau of Special Investigations.
The AGO’s Medicaid Fraud Division, which investigates and prosecutes Medicaid fraud and abuse, is certified by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to oversee fraud complaints involving MassHealth. Anyone with concerns about Medicaid fraud or mistreatment of patients in healthcare settings can file a complaint with the AGO’s Medicaid Fraud Division.
The investigation highlights the critical need for accountability in the care of vulnerable individuals, especially those receiving Medicaid-funded services, and underscores the importance of ensuring that elder care providers uphold their legal and ethical responsibilities.
The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
