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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 applied behavior analysis services to children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Avery said.
The organization was enrolled as a participating provider in the state's Medicaid program, Avery reported.
From December 2018 to October 2020, Steiner submitted fraudulent claims to Medicaid for services she claimed were provided to clients on dates when no services were provided, the US Attorney's Office said.
According to the report, Steiner also inflated the number of hours for some of the claims where services were provided.
When the Connecticut Department of Social Services terminated Helping Hands Academy as a provider, Steiner made false statements and submitted an altered document to try to to rescind the termination and to receive payment for claims, Avery said.
As a result of Steiner's conduct, Medicaid lost a total of $551,311.85, the US Attorney's Office reported.
Following her guilty plea in that case, Steiner was released on bond and was a silent partner in another company, New Beginnings Children's Behavioral Health LLC, which provided applied behavior services to children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Avery said.
She and the company engaged in health care fraud, billing Medicaid for thousands of dollars in services that were not provided, the US Attorney's Office said.
Avery said Steiner was arrested on May 2 and is set to be sentenced on Friday, Oct. 21.
Steiner is released on a $250,000 bond in home detention pending sentencing, the US Attorney's Office reported.
Those who suspect health care fraud can make a report by calling 1-800-HHS-TIPS.
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