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East Hartford Man Sentenced For Stealing $900K In Medicaid Fraud Scheme East Hartford Man Sentenced For Stealing $900K In Medicaid Fraud Scheme
East Hartford Man Sentenced For Stealing $900K In Medicaid Fraud Scheme A Connecticut man who posed as a counselor was sentenced to prison and ordered to pay back more than $900,000 after pleading no contest to a large Medicaid fraud scheme.  Hartford County resident Ramon Apellaniz, 39, of East Hartford, will serve 15 months in prison for submitting thousands of fraudulent claims to Medicaid for services provided by unlicensed personnel and services not provided, as well as for stealing the identity of a licensed professional to submit the fraudulent claims.  Apellaniz, who has paid $156,000 in restitution, was also ordered to repay with the remainin…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
$1.6M Scheme: Glastonbury Psychologist Admits Submitting Fraudulent Medicaid Claims $1.6M Scheme: Glastonbury Psychologist Admits Submitting Fraudulent Medicaid Claims
$1.6M Scheme: Glastonbury Psychologist Admits Submitting Fraudulent Medicaid Claims A 75-year-old psychologist from Connecticut has admitted to submitting false Medicaid claims as part of a more than $1.6 million scheme, federal officials announced.  Hartford County resident Michael Pines of Avon, a Glastonbury-based psychologist, pleaded guilty to healthcare fraud charges on Wednesday, Jan. 31, the US Attorney's Office for the District of Connecticut announced.  According to federal officials, Pines, who owned and operated Michael B. Pines, Ph.D., P.C., provided psychotherapy to young children, adolescents, and adults and had been individually enrolled…

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by Ben Crnic
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CT Man Who Ripped Off Medicaid While Employed With Police Avoids Jail CT Man Who Ripped Off Medicaid While Employed With Police Avoids Jail
CT Man Who Ripped Off Medicaid While Employed With Police Avoids Jail A Fairfield County man who was working as a police officer has avoided jail for Medicaid fraud but must repay monies stolen. Chief State’s Attorney Patrick J. Griffin Friday, said on Friday, Jan. 5 that  Michael Mastronardi, age 49, of Shelton, was sentenced to a three-year suspended sentence after pleading guilty to one count of cruelty to persons. In addition, he was ordered to pay $57,278.24 in restitution to the Department of Social Services to reimburse the Medicaid program. An investigation by the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit determined that between August 2014 and April 2019, Ma…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
CT Man Accused Of Ripping Off Medicaid For $80K CT Man Accused Of Ripping Off Medicaid For $80K
CT Man Accused Of Ripping Off Medicaid For $80K A Fairfield County man was charged with allegedly submitting fraudulent claims to the government for services that were not rendered. Andrew R. Golden, age 55, of New Canaan, was arrested Monday, Dec. 18, by inspectors from the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit in the Office of the Chief State's Attorney. He was charged with larceny by defrauding a public community and health insurance fraud. According to the arrest warrant affidavit, Golden is a licensed professional counselor, listed as an individual practitioner and owner of a Stamford practice.  Between January 2020 and July 2022, Gold…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
CT Woman Accused Of Ripping Off Medicaid For Thousands CT Woman Accused Of Ripping Off Medicaid For Thousands
CT Woman Accused Of Ripping Off Medicaid For Thousands A Fairfield County woman who worked as a personal care service staff was charged with billing Medicaid for personal care services while the client was incarcerated or inpatient. Latasia Robertson, age 30, of Stamford, was arrested Wednesday, Dec. 6, by Inspectors from the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit in the Office of the Chief State’s Attorney.  She was charged with larceny by defrauding a public community and health insurance fraud, said the Chief State's Attorney Office. According to the arrest warrant affidavit, between August 2021 and March 2022, Robertson billed for support servic…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
Weeks-Long Cyberattack Brings 3 CT Hospitals To Their Knees Weeks-Long Cyberattack Brings 3 CT Hospitals To Their Knees
Weeks-Long Cyberattack Brings 3 CT Hospitals To Their Knees A cyberattack on three Connecticut hospitals affected patient care so severely that many were sitting on the floors of emergency rooms bringing the operation of the group to its knees financially. The attack took place in August and affected Waterbury Hospital in New Haven County; Manchester Hospital in Hartford County, and Rockville General in Tolland County. All three are part of Prospect Medical Holdings, based in Connecticut, according to reporting from the CT Mirror. The cyberattack also affected medical offices affiliated with the hospitals. Thinking the attack would last for a …

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by Kathy Reakes
News
CT Hearing Aid Dealer Gets Years In Prison For Submitting False Medicaid Claims CT Hearing Aid Dealer Gets Years In Prison For Submitting False Medicaid Claims
CT Hearing Aid Dealer Gets Years In Prison For Submitting False Medicaid Claims The 54-year-old owner of a Connecticut hearing aid dealer will spend several years in prison for submitting false claims to the state's Medicaid program for services and equipment that were not provided or were medically unnecessary.  New Haven County resident Dennis Dellaghelfa, age 54, of Waterbury, was sentenced on Wednesday, Sept. 6 to four years in prison for health care fraud, the US Attorney's Office for the District of Connecticut announced.  According to federal officials, Dellaghelfa, a licensed hearing instrument specialist, is the owner of Waterbury-based hea…

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by Ben Crnic
News
$695K Scheme: Former New London Counselor Convicted Of Submitting False Medicaid Claims $695K Scheme: Former New London Counselor Convicted Of Submitting False Medicaid Claims
$695K Scheme: Former New London Counselor Convicted Of Submitting False Medicaid Claims A former New London County counselor has admitted to submitting thousands of dollars of fraudulent claims to Medicaid for therapy services he never provided, officials said.  Former East Lyme resident Jeffrey Slocum, age 55, pleaded guilty to healthcare fraud and kickback charges on Wednesday, Aug. 16, the US Attorney's Office for the District of Connecticut announced.  According to federal officials, between 2017 and 2022, Slocum, who now lives in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, was a licensed professional counselor with a New London office located at 300 State St.  …

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by Ben Crnic
News
Medicaid Fraud: CT Health Practice Charged For Services Provided By Unlicensed People, Feds Say Medicaid Fraud: CT Health Practice Charged For Services Provided By Unlicensed People, Feds Say
Medicaid Fraud: CT Health Practice Charged For Services Provided By Unlicensed People, Feds Say A Connecticut behavioral health practice based in New Haven County defrauded the state's Medicaid program by knowingly billing it for services performed by unlicensed individuals, officials said.  Hamden-based practice K-Assist, owned by Kelly Stutzman, entered into a more than $234,000 civil settlement agreement with both the federal and Connecticut state government to resolve allegations that the practice violated federal and state False Claims Acts, the US Attorney's Office for the District of Connecticut announced on Tuesday, April 18.  According to federal officials…

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
CT Psychologist Admits To $79K Medicaid Fraud CT Psychologist Admits To $79K Medicaid Fraud
CT Psychologist Admits To $79K Medicaid Fraud A Newtown psychologist and advanced registered nurse pleaded guilty to defrauding Medicaid by billing the government health insurance program for thousands of dollars. Jeannie Pasacreta, age 66, of Newtown, pleaded guilty Wednesday, March 29, to one count of health insurance fraud. In addition, she was ordered to pay $79,418.77 in restitution. An investigation by the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Office of the Chief State’s Attorney determined that over a two-year period beginning in 2016, Pasacreta, through her firm Mental Health Services, billed Medicaid for hundreds of claims for se…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
Woman From CT Admits Committing Fraud While Awaiting Sentencing In Other Case Woman From CT Admits Committing Fraud While Awaiting Sentencing In Other Case
Woman From CT Admits Committing Fraud While Awaiting Sentencing In Other Case A 32-year-old former Farifield County resident pleaded guilty to a health care fraud offense that she committed while waiting to be sentenced for a separate health care fraud charge. Nicole Steiner, a former Stratford resident, pleaded guilty to the charge on Friday, July 29, according to Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States attorney for the District of Connecticut. Steiner, who is now a resident of Edison, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty to one count of health care fraud on April 28, in relation to the operation of Helping Hands Academy, LLC in Bridgeport, which offered app…

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by Nicole Valinote
News
CT Business Owner Ordered To Pay $310K For Employing 'Excluded' Person, Feds Say CT Business Owner Ordered To Pay $310K For Employing 'Excluded' Person, Feds Say
CT Business Owner Ordered To Pay $310K For Employing 'Excluded' Person, Feds Say A Connecticut psychiatry business and its owner have been ordered to pay more than $310,000 to resolve allegations that they improperly employed an individual who was excluded from federal health care programs. Geriatric & Adult Psychiatry, LLC and its owner Dr. Alan Siegal entered into the civil settlement agreement with federal and state governments, according to an announcement on Wednesday, Feb. 23, from Leonard Boyle, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut. The Hamden business and Siegal were ordered to pay a total of $310,874, the US Attorney's Office announce…

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by Nicole Valinote
News
CT Doctor Accused Of Selling Prescriptions For Cash CT Doctor Accused Of Selling Prescriptions For Cash
CT Doctor Accused Of Selling Prescriptions For Cash A Fairfield County doctor has been charged by federal officials with health care fraud and selling prescriptions for cash. Dr. David Ciancimino, age 62, a resident of Trumbull, was arrested on Thursday, Sept. 23, on a federal criminal complaint charging him with health care fraud and controlled substances offenses related to the illegal distribution of prescription medication, said Leonard C Boyle, acting US Attorney for the District of Connecticut. As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, Ciancimino has been a sole practitioner practicing psychiatry and neurology/ps…

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by Kathy Reakes