Latest news with #Aponte
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Bristol police searching for missing 16-year-old girl
BRISTOL, Conn. (WTNH) — Bristol police are seeking the public's help in locating 16-year-old Yomari Aponte, who hasn't been seen or heard from since Friday. Aponte is a Hispanic female who stands at five-feet-five-inches and weighs 120lbs. She has brown eyes, a light complexion and red-dyed hair. Her clothing description is unknown. According to police, Aponte left her house at 2:00 p.m. two days ago and has not contacted her family. Anyone who sees Aponte or knows her whereabouts must call the Bristol Police Department at 860-584-3011. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Tow truck driver arrested in St. Pete crash that killed 2, injured boy
A tow truck driver has been arrested on vehicular homicide charges in connection with an October crash in St. Petersburg that killed two adults and seriously injured a 9-year-old boy. George Phillip Aponte, 45, of Clearwater, was arrested Tuesday in connection with the incident, which occurred Oct. 15 on 5th Avenue South near 20th Street South. The crash occurred about 5 p.m. that day as Aponte drove west on 5th Avenue South. His truck hit a Honda CR-V driven by Shakesha Desence, 35, who had been making a left onto 5th Avenue from 20th Street South, police said. Desence was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead. Her passenger, Dilean Desence, 72, died at the scene. His 9-year-old grandson, who was also a passenger in the vehicle, was taken to Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital and was initially listed in critical condition. The boy was later released from the hospital but 'continues to mend from his injuries,' police said in a news release Tuesday announcing Aponte's arrest. Aponte is facing two charges of vehicular homicide and one count of reckless driving causing injury. He was being held at the Pinellas County Jail Tuesday; bail information was not yet available. An arrest affidavit also was not immediately available on Tuesday to provide details about what gave police probable cause to arrest Aponte. Records show Aponte has been cited at least nine times in Pinellas County since 2020. They include three citations for careless driving and two for driving 10 to 14 miles per hour over the speed limit. In January, about three months after the crash, St. Petersburg police cited Aponte for driving 55 mph in a 35-mph zone on Freemont Terrace South near 34th Street, records show. Aponte pleaded no contest in March and a judge ordered him to complete a driver improvement course within 60 days, which he failed to do, records show. Court records say Aponte was employed by A-1 Recovery at the time of the crash. A person who answered the phone at A-1 Recovery Tuesday said no one was available to speak with a reporter and provided the name of the company's attorney. The attorney did not immediately return a voicemail message.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Middletown man pleased guilty to Medicaid fraud
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (WTNH) — A Middletown man waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty Friday to offenses related to a Medicaid fraud scheme that defrauded the Connecticut out of more than $1.8 million. According to evidence and testimony, Ramon Apellaniz, also known as Kristopher Rockefeller or Kris, previously operated The Gemini Project, LLC ('Gemini'), a Newington-based business that offered counseling to patients with mental, behavioral, and emotional disorders. According to the State of Connecticut's public license database, Apellaniz is not a licensed provider. In 2020, Apellaniz was charged by the state with larceny, health care fraud, and identity theft offenses related to his providing services to numerous Medicaid beneficiaries as a non-licensed provider, and Gemini billing Medicaid for those services, or for services that were not rendered at all. Medicaid paid Gemini and Apellaniz $909,268 for the false claims. Apellaniz pleaded nolo contendere and, on April 17, 2024, was sentenced in Hartford Superior Court to eight years in prison, execution suspended after 15 months, and five years of parole. He was released from Department of Correction custody on November 19, 2024. Suhail Aponte was the sole principal and registered agent of Minds Cornerstone LLC, dba Minds Cornerstone Behavior Therapy Services ('Minds Cornerstone'), an Autism Specialist Group, which was registered with the State of Connecticut in June 2021. Aponte is also not a licensed provider. Although Apellaniz does not appear on any of Minds Cornerstone's Medicaid enrollment forms, had no ownership interest in the company, and had no signatory authority to any of its bank accounts, he conspired with Aponte and ran the company under a pseudonym, including while he was incarcerated. Beginning in approximately November 2021, Apellaniz and Aponte used Minds Cornerstone to defraud the Connecticut Medicaid Program by submitting fraudulent claims for applied behavior analysis ('ABA') services to children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder ('ASD'). The scheme involved billing for Medicaid for services purportedly rendered to patients when company payroll records indicate employees were not compensated for the associated services. Parents of patients and former employees of Minds Cornerstone confirmed many of those services did not occur. From Nov. 2021-Jan. 2025, Apellaniz and Aponte submitted or caused to be submitted to Medicaid fraudulent claims that resulted in a loss of approximately $1,876,617 to the Connecticut Department of Social Services. The investigation revealed that Apellaniz used some of the funds Minds Cornerstone received to pay a portion of the restitution he owes as a result of his state prosecution. From approximately May 2022-Nov. 2024, Aponte was also employed by the State of Connecticut in the Office of Policy and Management. Apellaniz pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud, which carries a maximum term of 10 years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for August 15. Apellaniz has been detained since his arrest on Jan. 16, 2025. Aponte pleaded guilty to the same charge on April 30 and awaits sentencing. Apellaniz and Aponte have agreed to the forfeiture of approximately $469,000 in funds seized during the investigation, as well their interest in additional bank accounts and two parcels of land in Hartford. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Yahoo
CT woman admits to role in scheme that falsely billed Medicaid for $1.8M for autism services
A Wethersfield woman has pleaded guilty to a federal charge for her role in stealing about $1.8 million through a scheme involving false Medicaid claims. Suhail Aponte, 38, waived her right to be indicted during a hearing in federal court in Bridgeport on Wednesday and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Connecticut. The charge carries a maximum of 10 years in prison. According to federal officials, Aponte was the sole principal and registered agent of Minds Cornerstone LLC, an autism specialist group that was registered in Connecticut in June 2021. Authorities believe Aponte, who is not a licensed provider, became involved in a scheme with a co-conspirator beginning around November 2021. Officials allege they used Minds Cornerstone to defraud the Connecticut Medicaid Program by submitting fraudulent claims for applied behavior analysis services to children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Authorities said the scheme involved billing for Medicaid for services allegedly rendered to patients when company payroll records indicate employees were not compensated for the associated services. Other services were allegedly provided by a Board Certified Behavior Analyst of a behavioral technician, but the corresponding procedure code for behavioral technician services was not billed, authorities said. Officials also said some of the alleged services were found to involve patients who were actually in an inpatient hospital. Other services allegedly provided involved patients whose parents or former employees of Cornerstone were able to confirm were not actually delivered, according to authorities. Between November 2021 and January 2025, Aponte and her co-conspirator submitted 'or caused to be submitted to Medicaid' fraudulent claims that resulted in a loss of about $1,876,617 to the Connecticut Department of Social Services. Officials noted that Aponte was employed by the State of Connecticut in the Office of Policy and Management from May 2022 until November 2024. As part of the plea deal, Aponte agreed to forfeit about $459,000 that was seized from multiple bank accounts she controlled, as well as her interest in additional bank accounts and two parcels of land in Hartford, according to officials. Aponte is free on a $100,000 bond and is scheduled to face sentencing on July 30.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Yahoo
Wethersfield woman pleads guilty to Medicaid fraud
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (WTNH) — A Wethersfield woman waived her right to be indicted and pleaded guilty Wednesday for her involvement in a scheme to defraud Medicaid. According to evidence and testimony, Suhail Aponte, 38, was the sole principal registered agent of Minds Cornerstone LLC, dba Minds Cornerstone Behavior Therapy Services, an Autism Specialist Group, which was registered with the State of Connecticut in June 2021. Starting around Nov. 2021, Aponte was involved in a scheme in which she and a co-conspirator used Minds Cornerstone to defraud the Connecticut Medicaid Program by submitting fraudulent claims for applied behavior analysis (ABA) services to children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The scheme involved billing for Medicaid for services purportedly rendered to patients when company payroll records indicate employees were not compensated for the associated services. Such services included direct supervision services purportedly provided by a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) of a behavioral technician, when the corresponding procedure code for behavioral technician services was not billed; services purportedly rendered to patients who were actually in an inpatient hospital; and services purportedly rendered when parents of patients and former employees of Minds Cornerstone confirmed those services did not occur. Between Nov. 2021 and Jan. 2025, Aponte, who is not a licensed provider, and her co-conspirator submitted or caused to be submitted fraudulent claims to Medicaid which resulted in the Connecticut Department of Social Services to lose approximately $1,876,617. From around May 2022 until Nov. 2024, Aponte was also employed by the State of Connecticut in the Office of Policy and Management. Aponte pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud, which carries a maximum term of 10 years in prison. As part of her plea, Aponte has agreed to forfeit of about $459,000 in funds seized from various bank accounts she controlled, as well as her interest in additional bank accounts and two parcels of land in Hartford. Aponte was released on a $100,000 bond since her arrest on Jan. 16, 2025. Sentencing is scheduled for July 30. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
