Assisted living execs charged with stealing veteran's benefits

News Sentinel staff

Three executives from an assisted living facility in Loudon have been indicted on charges of stealing veteran's benefits from a resident, the TBI announced this afternoon.

The former owners of Mountain View Assisted Living Facility, Ronnie Costner, 68, and Lynn Costner, 57, each were indicted on one count of theft of property over $10,000 but not exceeding $60,000, as was former administrator Curtis Sorells, 41.

All three are from Clinton.

Mountain View is at 110 River Road West in Loudon.

TBI said its investigation began in 2003 after complaints about "abuse of patient funds." The Costners owned two other facilities in the area but the veteran's benefits were stolen from a patient at the Mountain View Assisted Living Center, TBI said.

The investigation was conducted jointly by TBI's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and the Veteran's Administration Office of Inspector General.

All three suspects were booked into the Loudon County jail and released on bond.

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