A Brentwood doctor who once served as a leader at the late Gwen Shamblin Lara's Weigh Down Ministries and Remnant Fellowship Church bought a $7 million home while illegally taking millions of dollars from TennCare and Medicare, court records show.
Dr. Helen Boerman, 48, pleaded guilty in May to submitting about $11 million in false claims from 2021 through 2024 through her Brentwood Eye Care business to TennCare, Medicare and the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program. The optometrist, who specialized in treating dry eye conditions, received $6.9 million in reimbursements before the fraud was detected, said U.S. Attorney Braden H. Boucek, with the Middle District of Tennessee.
During Boerman's Sept. 10 sentencing hearing in federal court in Nashville,
several members of Remnant Fellowship supported her in the audience. The Brentwood church gained global attention as the subject of the HBO documentary "The Way Down," focused on founder Shamblin Lara's Weigh Down Workshop diet program. It emphasized weight loss as a way to prove commitment to God.
Boerman and her husband joined the church in 2002 and were featured as leaders on the church's website in photographs and a Weigh Down TV show episode.
On March 15, 2019, Boerman joined Shamblin Lara on a panel filmed for an episode of Christian talk show "You Can Overcome" called "How to Have Healthy Babies." During the show, produced by Remnant Fellowship TV and available on YouTube, Boerman said following the tenets of the church allowed her to conceive her third child at age 40.
“I got introduced to Remnant and realized if you make God first, everything else falls into place. Now I feel like we have a dream life,” she said during the show.
Boerman and her husband, married for 21 years, continued to appear on Remnant's leadership page through at least 2025, but they are no longer referenced on the website. Attempts to reach the church Sept. 16 and Sept. 17 were unsuccessful.
Chief U.S. District Judge William L. Campbell, Jr. sentenced Boerman Sept. 14 to 3.5 years in prison after she pleaded guilty to government health care program fraud. She was also ordered to pay nearly $7 million in restitution.
Prosecutors say Brentwood eye doctor had 'lavish lifestyle'
Boerman was convicted in federal court of submitting "false, fictitious or fraudulent claims" through Brentwood Eye Care over more than three years while she was active with Remnant Fellowship, ending in late 2024, court documents state.
Boerman "submitted claims seeking reimbursement for dates of service where patients did not in fact receive services and for wound care products that she had not actually purchased or used because she split wound care products intended for single use," the U.S. Attorney's office said in a statement.
Prosecutors argued that because Boerman held a position of trust, her betrayal is deepened and she should face more prison time. They claimed she had no financial hardships while faking claims to get money meant for the elderly and infirm and was motivated by greed, according to a court filing by prosecutors.
"At its core, the conduct in this case represents a scheme by defendant to steal money to fund a lavish lifestyle, at the expense of American taxpayers," prosecutors argued, when pushing for more prison time. Prosecutors noted in their forfeiture motion that Boerman stashed millions of dollars she got through false claims into various bank accounts.
In 2022, Boerman wired more than $5.2 million to put toward the title of the $7 million Brentwood home she shares with her husband, according to Special Agent Kenneth Barrett with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office of the Inspector General. The home, a short drive from downtown Brentwood, is located on nearly 3 acres in a gated community and has six bedrooms, six full baths and two half-baths, according to property records.
In 2023, she also deposited more than $4.6 million into an investment account, the agent noted in documents.
Prosecutors didn't elaborate on other details of what they called her "lavish lifestyle," but many documents remained sealed.
Doctor's defense team sought leniency for community service
Boerman's defense team declined to comment Sept. 15 and Sept. 16, but in court filings, they referred to the doctor as a "steadfast pillar within her local community." Boerman didn't answer calls to her home on Sept. 17.
Boerman asserted that she treated some patients without collecting money, while prosecutors argued she collected money from some patients she never treated.
"Dr. Boerman, along with her family, are heavily involved in community service through their local church," the defense argued in court documents, without naming her church. "Dr. Boerman and Chris provide support and guidance to other families in their community facing a variety of struggles, including addiction, marital trouble, financial difficulties, and medical issues."
Her attorneys asked for leniency, pointing to the doctor's good deeds.
"Dr. Boerman acknowledges that she made grave mistakes," but she also provided pro bono eye care "to those in need, including individuals who do not have health insurance or have financial constraints," her attorneys argued.
The judge allowed Boerman to return home, according to the judgment, but she must report to prison on Jan. 4, 2027. After she serves her sentence and is released, the doctor will remain on supervised release for a year.
In 2021, Shamblin Lara, her husband Joe Lara — an actor known for playing Tarzan — and five other Remnant leaders died when their Cessna 500 plane crashed in Percy Priest Lake minutes after takeoff. Remnant is currently led by Elizabeth Kaufmann, Shamblin Lara's daughter, according to the church's website.
Beth Warren covers health care and can be reached at bwarren@tennessean.com or on X at @BethWarrenCJ.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Former Brentwood Remnant church leader led 'lavish lifestyle' during fraud scheme
