OAKLAND — Maki Martinez-Gruninger pleaded guilty to a single felony count of Medi-Cal false claims on September 21, 2026. She was sentenced to two years in state prison for defrauding the program.

Martinez-Gruninger submitted false claims totaling $413,643.30 to the Medi-Cal program, which is California's social health care program for families and individuals with limited resources. She fraudulently claimed to be the In-Home Support Services (IHSS) provider for a disabled family member. Martinez-Gruninger presented false IHSS and Respite Care claims for payment during the scheme.

The fraud began when Martinez-Gruninger secretly applied to be the disabled family member's IHSS provider in November 2007. The complainant, who served as the disabled individual's sole caregiver, discovered in December 2019 that Martinez-Gruninger had applied to be the IHSS provider without authorization.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta addressed the conviction in an official statement. "Those who defraud these vital programs are not just breaking the law. They are stealing from taxpayers, endangering patient care, and betraying the public trust," Bonta said.

He added that the department would continue to pursue those who abuse public programs for personal gain. Rob Bonta said: "At the California Department of Justice, we will not tolerate it. We will continue to aggressively pursue those who abuse public programs for personal gain and hold them accountable to the fullest extent of the law."

"Let this conviction serve as a clear warning to anyone attempting to defraud Medi-Cal: You will be found out and held fully accountable," Bonta said. The attorney general stated that the California Department of Justice would hold such individuals accountable to the fullest extent of the law.