Latest news with #MedicaidFraudControlUnit
Yahoo
a day ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Owner of CT counseling practice sentenced to conditional discharge for defrauding Medicaid of $27K
An Avon woman has been sentenced to conditional discharge for defrauding the Medicaid program out of more than $25,000. Soraya Sawicki, 64, was sentenced on Tuesday in Hartford Superior Court to 18 months in prison, suspended, and five years of conditional discharge, according to the Connecticut Division of Criminal Justice. One of her conditions stipulates that she cannot serve as a provider in the Medicaid program. DCJ officials said Sawicki paid full restitution as part of the plea deal she accepted. The deal required her to plead guilty to one felony count of health insurance fraud, officials said. According to officials, Sawicki was a licensed clinical social worker and the owner of Infinity Integrated Counseling and Spa Services, LLC, in Avon. An investigation by the inspectors of the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit in the Office of the Chief State's Attorney found that she billed for services that were never provided, defrauding the program out of $27,068 between September of 2019 and June of 2021. The fraud unit was assisted in the investigation by the State of Connecticut Department of Social Services Office of Quality Assurance and the Avon Police Department. Because she was convicted of a program-related felony, Sawicki is subject to a 'mandatory exclusion as a health care provider to certain federally funded health programs pursuant to federal and state laws and regulators,' DCJ officials said. Anyone with knowledge of suspected fraud or abuse in the public healthcare system is asked to contact the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit at the Office of the Chief State's Attorney at 860-258-5986.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Owners of Las Vegas health company ordered to pay $1M for Medicaid fraud
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Camille Funches, Rodshiekka Chester and their company, Building Resilience, were found guilty of fraudulently billing Medicaid for services that were not performed. The investigation of the company began after the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit received a referral for services not being provided by Building Resilience. According to the Nevada Attorney General's office, the investigation showed that Funches and Chester oversaw the billing services and knew the services weren't provided to Medicaid recipients, yet billed for them. Interviews with Medicaid recipients also confirmed that they either didn't receive the service, or the number of services that were billed was incorrect. Funches and Chester were placed on probation for two years and have a suspended sentence of 19 to 48 months. They were also ordered to pay restitution of $1 million to Medicaid. Suspected Medicaid fraud can be reported to the MFUC at (702) 486-3420 or (775) 684-1100. A complaint can also be submitted to the Nevada Attorney General's office at this link. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Georgia woman charged with Medicaid fraud in Connecticut
WATERBURY, Conn. (WTNH) — A Georgia woman was arrested by the Coweta (Ga.) County's Sheriff's Office on a Connecticut warrant, and extradited to Connecticut for allegedly defrauding Medicaid by billing for services she did not provide. Brittany Gresham, age 36, of Senoia, Ga., was extradited by the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit in the Office of the Chief State's Attorney and charged with one count of first-degree larceny by defrauding a public community, one count of health insurance fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit first-degree larceny by defrauding a public community, and one count of conspiracy to commit health insurance fraud. Gresham allegedly enrolled as a Personal Care Assistant (PCA) in the Connecticut Medical Assistants Program (CMAP). The PCA program, providing an alternative to entering an assisted living facility, is a Medicaid-funded program which provides recipients who have permanent, severe, and/or chronic disabilities, funds to hire PCAs to physically assist them with daily self-care. According to the investigation by the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, that between March 2021-July 2023, Gresham while living in Georgia, and the co-defendant, Tywan Marion, with Gresham's knowledge, allegedly completed a job application for Gresham and submitted time sheets on her behalf for PCA services she did not provide to a Connecticut recipient. Gresham allegedly received payment from Medicaid for the unrendered services and transfer some of the money to Marion. Gresham allegedly received a total of $44,476.57 from the scheme. Gresham was arraigned in Waterbury Superior Court on Wednesday and is being held on a $100,000 surety bond. Marion, who was previously arrested, is being held on a $200,000 surety bond. All charges are each classified as B felonies and punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Yahoo
Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin announces arrest of father-son pair for Medicaid fraud
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin announced the arrest of a father and son for Medicaid fraud on Monday. The announcement from Griffin's office stated that 52-year-old Ronald Alfred Vail and 27-year-old Garrett Bradley Vail, both of Van Buren, each pleaded guilty to a single count of felony Medicaid fraud. Each man received a term of three years' probation, a $1,500 fine and was ordered to pay court costs and $3,444.25 in restitution. Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin announces financial fraud task force Officials said Ronald helped Garrett bill for Medicaid services for Garrett's sibling, but the services were never provided and the two shared the proceeds from the billings. Griffin complimented his office's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit for its commitment. He also thanked Special Agent Matthew Edwards, Assistant Attorney General David Jones, and Will Jones, prosecuting attorney for the 6th Judicial District. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Yahoo
Final suspect in Medicaid fraud scheme arrested at Orlando airport
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has announced the final arrest in a Medicaid fraud scheme. The Medicaid Fraud Control Unit says Joseph Chacon is the final member of a transportation scheme that defrauded the state's Medicaid program of more than $5 million. He was arrested at Orlando International Airport on April 23. The attorney general says Chacon and his co-defendants ran a nonemergency medical transportation service that billed Medicaid for thousands of trips that were never provided. Twenty co-defendants were arrested in October 2023. Investigators say the ringleader was Jose Enrique Hernandez Fernandez, who owned a company called Sweet Transportation LLC that was contracted to provide nonemergency medical transportation services to Medicaid recipients. A news release states that Hernandez Fernandez and his employees billed Medicaid for thousands of nonexistent trips and inflated mileage on actual trips for at least two years. Uthmeier said GPS data showed that drivers often submitted claims while at home, on vacation or sometimes from out of state. 'This scheme defrauded Florida taxpayers and diverted resources meant for patients in need,' Uthmeier said in the release. 'With the arrest of the final defendant, justice is catching up to every individual who thought they could exploit the Medicaid system. Under my leadership, we will not tolerate fraud, waste, or abuse—and we will relentlessly pursue those who try to profit at the expense of the people of Florida.' Chacon, a dual citizen of the United States and Costa Rica, was in Costa Rica when warrants were issued for all of the suspects. The attorney general said the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit coordinated the FBI and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, but Costa Rican officials declined to extradite Chacon. Chacon was arrested at the airport when he returned to the United States. He was booked into the Orange County jail on a felony charge of organized scheme to defraud. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
