A local ambulance service has been cleared of any wrongdoing following an extensive investigation by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) and the state Attorney General's Office.

An attorney representing Ambu- Star received a letter earlier this week from John W. McIntosh of the Attorney General's Office notifying the ambulance service that its investigation was done and no criminal action will be filed.

Authorities searched Ambu-Star's location off Webber Road in November for evidence of fraudulent claims after being granted a search warrant by Circuit Judge Derham Cole in Spartanburg.

According to the warrant, a complaint was received last year claiming the ambulance service transported individual patients by ambulance and billed them for Basic Life Support (BLS) compensation from the state's Medicaid program when other means of transportation were available.

Agents searched transport documents, letters, employment records, checkbooks, time sheets, computer systems and other items that could hold information pertaining to claims submitted by the company to the state's Medicaid program.

The investigation looked into activities at the ambulance service between Nov. 2005 and April 2007.

Ambu-Star, which serves nine counties, maintained its innocence throughout the period.

"We appreciate the support from clients and others during this ordeal," said an Ambu-Star official. "The Attorney General's office was doing its job. This can serve as an example to other businesses in the same field that they can also fall under the same scrutiny in the future."