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Woman Who Pocketed $1.4M In Unpaid Business Taxes Gets 19 Months In Prison: Feds Woman Who Pocketed $1.4M In Unpaid Business Taxes Gets 19 Months In Prison: Feds
Woman Who Pocketed $1.4M In Unpaid Business Taxes Gets 19 Months In Prison: Feds A Connecticut businesswoman who admitted to withholding more than $1 million in payroll taxes to spend on her mortgage, home repairs, and casino trips will spend more than a year and a half behind bars, authorities announced.  Michelle Ann Gilson, 38, of Guilford in New Haven County, was sentenced this week to 19 months in prison followed by three years of probation, and she must pay the IRS more than $1.4 million in restitution, the US Attorney for Connecticut said.  Gilson co-owned and co-operated B&M Package Solutions, Inc. and formerly owned and operated Epic Empirez,…

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by Josh Lanier
Politics
Journalist Vs. Chemist: Avlon, Goroff Face Off In Closely-Watched NY Congressional Primary Race Journalist Vs. Chemist: Avlon, Goroff Face Off In Closely-Watched NY Congressional Primary Race
Journalist Vs. Chemist: Avlon, Goroff Face Off In Closely-Watched NY Congressional Primary Race Among the New York races that political pundits are keeping an eye on this Primary Day is that of the journalist versus the chemist. On Long Island, Democrats John Avlon and Nancy Goroff are facing off to determine who will take on Republican Rep. Nick LaLota in November for the state’s 1st Congressional District, representing the eastern two-thirds of Suffolk County. The 51-year-old Avlon is a former political analyst at CNN who previously served as a columnist and associate editor for The New York Sun. He was also the chief speech writer for former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani. Ea…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Longtime CT Eye Doctor Sentenced For Bogus Brain Scan Scheme Longtime CT Eye Doctor Sentenced For Bogus Brain Scan Scheme
Longtime CT Eye Doctor Sentenced For Bogus Brain Scan Scheme A longtime ophthalmologist in Connecticut will have to pay back over $1 million and spend time in federal lockup after confessing that he ordered unnecessary brain scans to line his pockets. Hartford County resident Donald Salzberg, age 69, of Avon, was sentenced to one year in prison in Boston federal court on Thursday, May 9. It came nearly two years after Salzberg, who operated Salzberg, M.D. on Farmington Avenue in West Hartford for nearly 40 years, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and receive kickbacks. Earlier Report: Popular CT Eye Doctor Admits To Tak…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
CT Doctor Admits To Getting Kickbacks In Exchange For Ordering Unnecessary Procedures CT Doctor Admits To Getting Kickbacks In Exchange For Ordering Unnecessary Procedures
CT Doctor Admits To Getting Kickbacks In Exchange For Ordering Unnecessary Procedures A Connecticut eye doctor was paid handsomely from a five-year fraudulent medical billing scheme that netted millions of dollars. Hartford County resident Donald Salzberg, age 67, of Avon, pleaded guilty Thursday, July 14, to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and one count of conspiracy to receive kickbacks in federal court in Boston. Prosecutors said that between 2014 and 2019 Salzberg, who owned and operated an ophthalmology practice in West Hartford, conspired with a principal for a medical diagnostics company to order hundreds of unnecessary brain scans. Salzburg and h…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Fairfield County Doctor Charged For Seven-Year Fraud Scheme, Feds Say Fairfield County Doctor Charged For Seven-Year Fraud Scheme, Feds Say
Fairfield County Doctor Charged For Seven-Year Fraud Scheme, Feds Say An eye doctor from Westchester who had practices throughout the Hudson Valley and Fairfield County who was previously charged with healthcare fraud has been sentenced for attempting to exploit the COVID-19 pandemic through loan fraud. Westchester resident Ameet Goyal, age 58, of Rye, who operated The Eye Associates Group, with practices in Rye, Mount Kisco, Wappingers Falls in Dutchess County, and Greenwich, has been sentenced to 96 months in prison for orchestrating a seven-year fraud scheme and for obtaining government loans intended for small businesses during the pandemic. In addition t…

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by Zak Failla
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
COVID-19: Don't Fall For These Vaccine-Related Scams, Police Say COVID-19: Don't Fall For These Vaccine-Related Scams, Police Say
Covid-19: Don't Fall For These Vaccine-Related Scams, Police Say The rise in Americans going out and getting the COVID-19 vaccine has also brought about a rise in the number of opportunistic scammers looking to take advantage of the pandemic, law enforcement officials are cautioning. An alert was issued by police in the area regarding COVID-19 vaccine scams that have been reported to law enforcement agencies across the country. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), scammers have been using telemarketing calls, text messages, social media platforms, and door-to-door visits to perpetrate COVID-…

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by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: Beware Of These Vaccine Scams, FBI, DOJ Warn COVID-19: Beware Of These Vaccine Scams, FBI, DOJ Warn
Covid-19: Beware Of These Vaccine Scams, FBI, DOJ Warn Scammers are using the arrival of COVID-19 vaccines in the United States to trick people into paying for doses or early access that never comes, federal authorities are warning. As COVID-19 vaccines become more available, there has been a spike in scams seeking to exploit people’s desire to protect themselves and their loved ones from the virus, according to the U.S. Department of Justice as well as local police departments and other law enforcement agencies. “Members of the public should be suspicious of unexpected or unsolicited contact from anyone unknown to them claiming to have inform…

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by Kristin Palpini
News
CT Nurse Admits To Illegally Writing Prescriptions For Oxycodone, Xanax CT Nurse Admits To Illegally Writing Prescriptions For Oxycodone, Xanax
CT Nurse Admits To Illegally Writing Prescriptions For Oxycodone, Xanax A registered nurse in Connecticut is facing prison time for allegedly writing hundreds of illegal prescriptions that were used to obtain thousands of Oxycodone and Xanax pills. Cheshire resident Lisa Alexander, 54, pleaded guilty in New Haven district court to a charge stemming from her writing prescriptions or controlled substances that were not used for legitimate medical purposes. U.S. Attorney John Durham said that prior to her arrest, Alexander was a licensed Advanced Practice Registered Nurse and held a DEA controlled substance registration that allowed her to prescribe Schedule II th…

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by Zak Failla
News
CT Husband/Wife Physicians Pay Nearly $5M To Settle False Claims Act Allegations CT Husband/Wife Physicians Pay Nearly $5M To Settle False Claims Act Allegations
CT Husband/Wife Physicians Pay Nearly $5M To Settle False Claims Act Allegations Two doctors in Connecticut will pay out nearly $5 million to settle a claim that they defrauded the Medicaid program. Middletown resident Crispin Abarientos, and his wife, Antonieta Abarientos, have reached a civil settlement with the federal and state governments in which they will pay $4,927,903 to resolve allegations that they violated the federal and state False Claims Acts. Crispin Abarientos and his wife owned and operated Middlesex Rheumatology in Middletown, which specialized in the diagnosis and treatment of arthritis, autoimmune diseases, and related conditions, U.S.Attorney John …

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by Zak Failla
News
Area Doctor Billed Patients $8M For Surgeries He Didn't Do, Feds Say Area Doctor Billed Patients $8M For Surgeries He Didn't Do, Feds Say
Area Doctor Billed Patients $8M For Surgeries He Didn't Do, Feds Say A Westchester eye doctor who had practices throughout the Hudson Valley and Fairfield County is facing charges for health care fraud. Ameet Goyal, 56, of Rye, who operates The Eye Associates Group, with practices in Rye, Mount Kisco, Wappingers Falls and in Greenwich, was arrested and charged by federal officials for allegedly fraudulently billing patients. The indictment alleges that between 2010 and 2017, Goyal was billing patients, Medicare, and private insurance programs millions of dollars for complex eye surgeries that were never actually performed. The complaint states that Goyal and…

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by Zak Failla
News
CT Doctor Sentenced For $894K Medicaid Defraud Scam CT Doctor Sentenced For $894K Medicaid Defraud Scam
CT Doctor Sentenced For $894K Medicaid Defraud Scam A doctor in Connecticut is will spend years behind bars after admitting to defrauding a Medicaid program of nearly a million dollars. Middletown resident Crispin Abarientos, a 45-year-old who owns and operates Middlesex Rheumatology in Middletown, has been sentenced to 37 months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release, after pleading guilty in Hartford federal court to one count of health care fraud after he ran a scheme that netted him $894,789. According to U.S. Attorney John Durham, one of the medications that Abarientos prescribes to his Middlesex Rheumatology patients wa…

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by Zak Failla
Lifestyle
CT Obesity Rates Better Than US Average, New Data Reveals CT Obesity Rates Better Than US Average, New Data Reveals
CT Obesity Rates Better Than US Average, New Data Reveals New data ranking the adult obesity rate in each state shows that Connecticut is ahead of the curve in terms of the national average. The data, released by the nonprofit organization, Trust for America’s Health (TFAH), shows that 27.4 percent of Connecticut residents are considered obese by modern health standards, putting the state in the 44th spot. The national average, on the other hand, was found to be 30.9 percent. Nationwide obesity rates were studied as part of the 16th annual State of Obesity: Better Policies for a Healthier America report, released Thursday, Sept. 12.  Based p…

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by Valerie Musson
News
CT Doctor, Practice Pay $425K to Settle Improper Billing Allegations CT Doctor, Practice Pay $425K to Settle Improper Billing Allegations
CT Doctor, Practice Pay $425K to Settle Improper Billing Allegations A Connecticut doctor and his practice have reached a civil settlement with federal and state governments to pay nearly $500,000 to resolve allegations of improperly billing Medicare and state Medicaid programs. Mark Thimineur, who owns Comprehensive Pain and Headache Treatment Centers - an interventional pain management practice with offices in Derby and Meriden - reached a settlement of $425,000, which resolves allegations of improper billing. U.S. Attorney John Durham said that the charges against Thimineur and his practice arose out of improper billing of drug tests. It is alleged that…

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by Zak Failla
News
Fentanyl Sales Rep Avoids Prison In Kickback Scheme Fentanyl Sales Rep Avoids Prison In Kickback Scheme
Fentanyl Sales Rep Avoids Prison In Kickback Scheme A 35-year-old woman avoided prison time for her role in an elaborate kickback scheme involving fentanyl spray prescriptions that were distributed in Connecticut. Natalie Levine of Scottsdale, Arizona, was sentenced in federal court in New Haven to five years probation for engaging in the kickback scheme, U.S. Attorney John Durham announced. She was also ordered to spend the first six months in home confinement and will perform 150 hours of community service after pleading guilty to violating the anti-kickback law. Levine was employed by Arizona-based Insys Therapeutics, a company that manu…

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by Zak Failla
News
Pharmaceutical Company To Pay $17.5M To Resolve Allegations Of Kickbacks Pharmaceutical Company To Pay $17.5M To Resolve Allegations Of Kickbacks
Pharmaceutical Company To Pay $17.5M To Resolve Allegations Of Kickbacks In a case that originated with the filing of whistleblower lawsuits in Connecticut, a pharmaceutical company has agreed to pay $17.5 million to resolve allegations of kickbacks to Medicare patients and physicians. US WorldMeds LLC, based out of Louisville, has agreed to the settlement after it was determined they were paying kickbacks to improperly induce prescriptions of its drugs, Apokyn and Myobloc, U.S. Attorney John Durham announced this week. Durham said that Congress included copay requirements in the Medicare program, in part, to encourage market forces to serve as a check on health…

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by Zak Failla
News
Norwalk Doctor Admits To Painkiller Drug Distribution, Health Care Fraud Norwalk Doctor Admits To Painkiller Drug Distribution, Health Care Fraud
Norwalk Doctor Admits To Painkiller Drug Distribution, Health Care Fraud A 71-year-old doctor from Connecticut pleaded guilty on Monday, June 25 to federal narcotics distribution and health care fraud charges. Bharat Patel of Milford entered his plea in U.S. District Court in New Haven, according to John H. Durham, U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for New England. In pleading guilty, Patel admitted that he wrote hundreds of medically unnecessary prescriptions for oxycodone and hydrocodone, and received nearly $159,000 as a result, according to Durham. Accordin…

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by Jon Craig
News
CT Psychiatrist, Mental Health Clinic Pay $800K Settlement CT Psychiatrist, Mental Health Clinic Pay $800K Settlement
CT Psychiatrist, Mental Health Clinic Pay $800K Settlement A Connecticut psychiatrist and mental health clinic are set to pay more than $800,000 to resolve claims that they allegedly violated federal and state False Claims Acts regarding urine sample tests. United States Attorney John Durham announced that psychiatrist Erum Shahab and Waire, LLC, which did business as Ellington Behavioral Health, have reached an agreement to pay $805,071 for submitting unsubstantiated claims to Medicare. According to officials, Ellington Behavioral Health regularly conducted urine drug screenings of patients with substance use disorders at the practice. Urine drug …

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by Zak Failla
News
Norwalk Medical Practice Will Pay $650K To Settle False Claims Norwalk Medical Practice Will Pay $650K To Settle False Claims
Norwalk Medical Practice Will Pay $650K To Settle False Claims Physicians from a Norwalk medical practice specializing in the treatment of sexually transmitted diseases have agreed to pay more than $650,000 in fines for allegedly attempting to make false Medicare and Medicaid claims. John Durham, the United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that World Health Clinicians, its CEO Scott Gretz and a former practicing physician, Gary Blick, have entered into a civil settlement agreement with federal and state governments to pay $650,830 to resolve allegations that they violated federal and state false claims acts. According to Durha…

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by Zak Failla