Steven Ganote and Angela Ganote are two prominent names in Indiana, but are they related? The answer is no, they are not. Steven Ganote is a former businessman who was involved in a massive fraud scheme that rocked the state’s nursing home industry. Angela Ganote is a Fox 59 morning news anchor who reported on the scandal and exposed the truth behind Dr. Donald Cline, a fertility doctor who used his own sperm to impregnate his patients. Here is a brief overview of their backgrounds and careers, and how they are connected to each other.
Steven Ganote: The Fraudster
Steven Ganote was a close associate of James Burkhart, the former CEO of American Senior Communities (ASC), the largest nursing home chain in Indiana. ASC operated 78 nursing homes across the state, most of which were owned by Health & Hospital Corporation of Marion County (HHC), a public agency that received extra Medicaid funding for government-owned facilities.
Ganote, Burkhart, and other conspirators set up shell companies to receive kickbacks from vendors who inflated their prices for goods and services provided to ASC. They also created fake invoices and forged signatures to siphon money from HHC. The fraud scheme lasted from 2009 to 2015 and resulted in more than $19 million in losses for ASC and HHC.
Ganote was described by prosecutors as the “bagman” and the “CFO” of the conspiracy, as he tracked the criminal proceeds and made projections of future profits. He used the money to fund a lavish lifestyle that included trips to Las Vegas, private jets, gold bars, diamond jewelry, and lakefront real estate.
In 2018, Ganote pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail, wire, and health care fraud; conspiracy to violate the anti-kickback statute; and money laundering. He was sentenced to five years in prison and ordered to pay $7 million in restitution.
Angela Ganote: The Reporter
Angela Ganote is a native of Brownsburg, Indiana, and a graduate of Indiana University Bloomington. She started her career as a TV reporter at WLFI in Lafayette, then moved to WSBT in South Bend and WCMH in Columbus, Ohio. She joined Fox 59 in Indianapolis in 2001 and has been a morning news anchor ever since.
Ganote has covered many important stories in her career, such as the Indianapolis 500, the Super Bowl, the Final Four, and the tornado outbreak of 2012. She has also won four Emmy awards for her investigative reporting on topics such as child abuse, domestic violence, human trafficking, and health care fraud.
One of her most notable stories was the expose of Dr. Donald Cline, a fertility doctor who practiced in Indianapolis from 1979 to 2009. Cline used his own sperm to artificially inseminate dozens of women who visited his clinic, without their knowledge or consent. He fathered at least 60 children with his patients, many of whom later discovered their biological siblings through DNA testing.
Ganote was contacted by one of Cline’s children, Jacoba Ballard, who wanted to share her story and seek justice for her mother and other victims. Ganote broke the news on Fox 59 in 2015 and followed up with several reports on the legal and emotional ramifications of Cline’s actions. She also interviewed Cline himself, who admitted to his wrongdoing but claimed he was trying to help infertile couples.
Ganote’s reporting helped raise awareness about the lack of regulation and oversight in the fertility industry and sparked a national debate about the ethical and legal issues surrounding donor conception. She also featured in Netflix’s documentary Our Father (2022), which chronicled Ballard’s journey to find out the truth about her biological father.
The Connection
Steven Ganote and Angela Ganote are not related by blood or marriage, but they are connected by their roles in two of the biggest scandals that rocked Indiana’s health care system. Steven Ganote was part of a fraud scheme that stole millions of dollars from nursing homes and taxpayers. Angela Ganote was part of a media team that exposed a fertility doctor who deceived his patients and fathered dozens of children with his own sperm.
Both stories revealed the dark side of the health care industry and the need for more transparency and accountability. They also showed how one person’s actions can have far-reaching consequences for many others. Steven Ganote and Angela Ganote may share a last name, but they have very different reputations in Indiana.
