Topeka ? A Topeka woman pleaded guilty Tuesday to scheming to defraud Medicaid out of $2 million while working at a day care center.

Molly Meier, 33, entered the plea to one count of conspiracy to defraud Medicaid and one count of forfeiture of all proceeds resulting from the conspiracy.

From January 1998 to January 2003 Meier was a secretary for Toddler Town Day Care, a special purpose child care center with two buildings in Topeka. The scheme involved making false claims to the Medicaid nonambulance medical transportation program, which allows transportation for a medical purpose, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

Day care, even special purpose day care, is not considered a medical service. Meier submitted claims for transporting children who were not at Toddler Town Day Care on the day of the claimed service, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. She also claimed medical transportation services for trips to fast-food restaurants, a swimming pool and movie theaters.

Meier also asked employees to falsify documents and submitted false documents to investigators after being subpoenaed, and submitted claims for daily psychological therapy that children at the day care did not receive, prosecutors said.

Meier faces a maximum of five years in prison. She will be sentenced June 29.

A co-defendant, Cynthia Maze Moten, 34, of Topeka, faces 44 counts in the same scheme. A trial is set for July 14.