As the scope of rehab centers scam widens, Navajo officials hope to help affected people

Harland Cleveland, special operations coordinator for the Navajo Nation Police, along with officers from the Navajo Nation Police Department, arrived in Phoenix a week ago to help tribal members displaced by fraudulent rehab centers that have targeted the Native population. 

Navajo Nation officials launched Operation Rainbow Bridge to help people who were caught up in the scams get home or find the services they need. Gov. Katie Hobbs announced last week that the state would take action against over 100 fraudulent rehab centers that allegedly defrauded the state’s Medicaid program of hundreds of millions of dollars by preying on and scamming Indigenous people using the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System.

Navajo authorities, along with Harland, held a forum Wednesday evening to outline information about the operation and to update the public on what has been happening. 

“We’ve made several contacts with people on the street,” Cleveland told the audience at the forum. ”We are working with our local law enforcement partners. We are making contact with people who have been displaced from these treatment centers.”

With the launch of Operation Rainbow Bridge, Navajo Nation Attorney General Ethel Branch said people who are in need of assistance can call 2-1-1 and partners will drive to meet the callers. Afterward, people will be taken to a safe place, such as a hotel or to the Rainbow Bridge command center if they choose. If they want to go home, that will be arranged for them. 

The vastness of the scam became more apparent last week when Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes said Goodyear alone is suspected to have at least 119 sober living homes in the city. She also said that the scam may have begun in Nevada and spread to Arizona.

The number of victims is not known, but the facilities with allegations against them have billed between 7,000 and 8,000 names, either names of real people or names from a list scammers bought, she said.

“It became like a franchise industry,” said Mayes. “Where people began to understand that it was like a pot of gold at AHCCCS that was not being supervised.”

Steven Duplissis, from Mayes’ office, said they have indicted 45 individuals and have seized over $70 million.

As Cleveland was out in the field this week looking for those who have found themselves displaced by the fraudulent centers, he said there were many who come from various tribal communities, such as Hopi, White Mountain Apache and the Gila River Indian Community. He said they had made contact with about 300 people.

“It’s one of those situations where you have to watch your surroundings,” said Cleveland. “You’ll come across people who are on some type of drug, intoxicated, the biggest concern is Fentanyl. It’s so high up here, so we make sure to carry Narcan in the vent when one of us gets exposed.”

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Authorities warn, 'beware the white van'

State Sen. Theresa Hatathlie, D-Coal Mine Canyon, said she had always heard of the white vans or non-medical transport that would travel into communities on Navajo and talk with unsuspecting individuals, especially during the height of the COVID pandemic.

“These issues have been raised to our local leaders and it continues,” said Hatathlie. “I was appointed to my current position more than a year ago, and I started working with the previous administration. But many of those complaints fell on deaf ears in the name of capitalism. Going forward we are going to address it on a larger scale so something like this won't happen again.”

Local tribal officials had taken it upon themselves to warn their members to be wary of individuals who were trying to “recruit” them. The warning would usually go out through posts on social media. In December, the Pascua Yaqui Police Department posted a public awareness alert on the issue, stating they had become aware of the recruiters associated with off-reservation behavioral health treatment facilities in Phoenix and other metropolitan areas.

“The tribe has also received reports of the same or similar individuals offering tribal members gift cards, cell phones, cash payments or other incentives to refer family or friends to these same facilities,” the post said. “Tribal members who do accompany these recruiters to the Phoenix metropolitan area are often left stranded with no means of returning home and/or are unable to contact family members regarding their whereabouts.”

Gila River Health Care posted a scam warning in December to patients warning them to be vigilant for recruiters from possible fraudulent behavioral health services. The warning said the Gila River Indian Community and other tribes had become aware at that time of recruiters, associated with off-reservation behavioral health residential facilities, soliciting individuals.

These recruiters offered “a place to stay, regular meals, and other items” if they went with the individuals, the post said. 

Salt River Police Department had also posted its own public awareness alert at the same time, warning people about recruiters and the incentives offered should a person leave with them.

“We know the actions taken today will continue to have an impact on our tribal members,” said Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community President Martin Harvier. “As tribal nations we know it's important to put in place our own plans on how to deal with members who are displaced. Many of these predatory behavioral health facilities have and continue to take advantage of populations most at risk only to enrich themselves.”

Harvier said the tribe's programs will provide assistance for those who have been displaced within their community. SRPMIC has a residential treatment center already established for those in need.  

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Are missing persons cases tied to the centers?

Navajo Nation Police made a couple of posts and announcements on the dangers of leaving with these recruiters. It’s still unknown how many people have fallen victim to such fraudulent centers over the years. 

In April, Mary Chee Archie, 93, was reported missing and was last seen hitchhiking with her daughter, Evelyn Yazzie, 55, in Jeddito on the Navajo Nation. A few days later, a rehabilitation facility in Phoenix notified the Navajo police reporting the elder was in its facility. 

Navajo Nation Police did not respond to inquiries from The Republic about this missing person case.  

But in an email to The Republic, Phoenix Police wrote that the department was contacted by the Navajo Police Department to perform a welfare check on Archie at a residence. When officers arrived, they located Archie, and contacted the family to arrange to have her picked up. This was the extent of the Phoenix Police Department’s role in the matter. 

“Our people have been trafficked since contact,” said Branch, who believes this scam needs to be considered human trafficking. “I think enough is enough and we need to take a stand and ensure this country will respect our people as human beings. We need our federal and state partners to honor that. We need to address this together to rectify that history and ensure it never happens again.”

Cleveland said seeing individuals that he has come into contact with on the streets of Phoenix is disheartening, because after being on the streets for a while, they are in fight or flight mode.  

“You can see the fear,” said Cleveland. “We made contact with one person, once he knew he was with us he knew he was safe. He said ‘I don't have to watch my back. I don’t have to be worried about getting chased, or robbed.’ He was sharing all these stories with us. He was thankful we brought him food. He was like “I want to go home.’”

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Arlyssa Becenti covers Indigenous affairs for The Arizona Republic and azcentral. Send ideas and tips to arlyssa.becenti@arizonarepublic.com.

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