Target Believed To Be Billing Office

Agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigations appeared at a West Plains, MO air ambulance provider Wednesday armed with a stack of warrants. They sent a number of startled Air Evac employees home with instructions not to return until Thursday.

According to KYTV-3 in Springfield, there were nearly 50 FBI agents in West Plains but neither the FBI nor the US Attorney's office would comment as to the reason. The Air Evac office involved is believed to be company's billing office.

The FBI did say it investigates things like billing problems, billing irregularities and fraud in government contracts and programs. But no official would specify why the search warrant was served on Air Evac.

"It's obvious we're in town; we are confirming that we're doing a search warrant," said Monte Strait, an FBI special agent-in-charge.

The company said in a news release that the search was tied to "an inquiry concerning billing and health care compliance related matters" and "it cooperated fully with the FBI," according to the Associated Press.

West Plains Mayor Joe Evans said he was "shocked" by the raid. Air Evac Lifeteam provides more than 400 jobs in West Plains, the mayor said.

"The FBI hasn't really told us what's going on, but I hope everything is OK," Evans said, calling the company "an important part of our community."

There are people in West Plains that believe they know why and are speaking about it openly, but no official source would confirm or deny anything, according to the television station.

All Air Evac helicopters, which provide air ambulance services to 10 states, are still operating, according to the company. The FBI incident has not disrupted service.

FMI: www.lifeteam.net