(The Center Square) – Three employees of Obion County Nursing and Rehab in Tennessee are accused of stealing more than $561,000 combined in compensation and benefits, according to the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury.
An audit released Thursday said the Obion County Nursing Home failed to oversee the facility’s operations, including its payroll. The nursing home is overseen by a seven-member board appointed by county officials, but no county funds are provided to the facility, according to the audit.
The nursing home receives payments from Medicare and Medicaid, insurance providers and accepts private pay, auditors said.
Obion County owns the building and the land, and the nursing home employees are county employees.
County officials alerted the Comptroller’s Office after seeing questionable payroll transactions, auditors said.
Former Social Services Director Briana Workman is accused of falsifying vacation, holiday and sick leave records between January 2022 and October 2025, resulting in unearned compensation of more than $192,000.
“In addition to receiving unearned compensation for hours she had not accrued, investigators determined that Workman regularly processed lump sum payments to herself for vacation, holiday, and sick leave, ranging from $200 to $3,000 per paycheck,” the audit said. “Investigators also determined that Workman awarded herself three pay increases without board approval during the period reviewed.
Former human resources director Jade Eakes also received an unauthorized pay raise and received unearned compensation totaling more than $192,000, the audit said. Donna Childress, a former interim administrator for the nursing home, is accused of receiving more than $120,000 in unearned benefits.
In addition, more than $19,000 in fraudulent claims were made to the Tennessee Consolidated Retirement System on behalf of the three women.
Employees of the nursing home are county employees and are eligible for state retirement benefits.
They also received more than $50,000 in unearned employer-paid benefits.
The lack of oversight into leave balances led to more than $194,000 in questionable compensation to 28 nursing home employees, according to the report.
“Boards must ensure oversight of nursing home operations including payroll, employee leave, and retirement reporting,” said Comptroller Jason Mumpower. “Additionally, when payroll duties are concentrated in too few hands and employee leave balances are not independently reviewed, improper compensation can continue for years without being detected.”
The Center Square was unsuccessful prior to publication getting comment from Obion County Mayor Steve Carr.
