Insurance fraud

April 15, 2008 -- BOSTON – Today, six people were arraigned in Suffolk Superior Court in connection with their participation in staging fraudulent motor vehicle accidents to scam insurance companies. The six defendants - Fred Battista, age 46, of Revere, his stepmother Laura Battista, age 58, of Weymouth, David Forlizzi, age 47, of Hudson, NH, William Penta, age 44, of Revere, Janet Vaccari, age 46, of Reading, and Vaccari’s daughter Deana Pistone, age 25, of Wakefield, all entered pleas of not guilty and were released on personal recognizance. They are due back in court on June 9, 2008, for a pre-trial conference.

The defendants are charged as follows:

Fred Battista:
Motor Vehicle Insurance Fraud (3 counts)    » read more »

March 28, 2008 -- The Maine Bureau of Insurance is advising consumers to beware of three specific scams circulating via fax machines and through telemarketers.

“In this time of economic hardship, consumers must be especially vigilant for people whose goal is to take advantage of them financially,” stated Maine Insurance Superintendent Mila Kofman. “We have become aware of fax machine solicitations to sell health insurance. These solicitations involve the unauthorized marketing of a licensed insurance company’s products,” stated Kofman.    » read more »

Unit investigated more than 1450 abuse, neglect and fraudulent billing cases

March 27, 2008 -- (INDIANAPOLIS, IN) – Indiana Attorney General Steve Carter’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) investigators recovered a record $14 million for the Medicaid Program in 2007 announced Carter today. The Unit also completed 219 fraudulent billing cases and 1235 abuse and neglect cases in 2007.    » read more »

March 28, 2008 -- McDonough -- Georgia Attorney General Thurbert Baker announced today that the Henry County Grand Jury has returned Medicaid Fraud indictments against two Medicaid providers in unrelated cases. Tina Webster-Fabayo owned and operated two mental health service companies, Med Path Professional Services and One Youth House, in Stockbridge, Georgia from late 2004 through 2007.    » read more »

BALTIMORE, MD (March 11, 2008) – Maryland Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler today announced the conviction of Tammy D. Smith and Anthony H. Smith, husband and wife, both of Huntshire Road in Randallstown on nine counts of felony Medicaid fraud and nine counts of felony theft. Each count of theft carries a maximum sentence of 15 years and each count of Medicaid fraud caries a maximum sentence of five years incarceration. Sentencing has not yet been scheduled.    » read more »

Database Company Ingenix – Used by Dozens of Insurers – at Center of Scheme; Cuomo Notifies Ingenix and its Parent, UnitedHealth Group, of Intent to File Suit; Subpoenas 16 Other Companies

NEW YORK, NY (February 13, 2008) – New York Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that he is conducting an industry-wide investigation into a scheme by health insurers to defraud consumers by manipulating reimbursement rates.    » read more »

February 8, 2008 - Vermont Attorney General William Sorrell announced today that Vermont will receive $3,881,945.00 as part of two separate global settlements totaling $649 million with Merck & Co., Inc. The entire Vermont settlement will be split between Vermont Medicaid and the federal government. The settlements involve 49 states, the District of Columbia and the federal government.    » read more »

February 08, 2008 -- BOSTON - Today, a Norfolk Superior Court jury convicted a Weymouth, Massachusetts man of larceny and insurance fraud in connection with his use of a deceased individual’s name and information to obtain motor vehicle insurance. Christopher A. Falco, age 25, was convicted of Motor Vehicle Insurance Fraud (two counts), Larceny over $250 (two counts), and Perjury. Superior Court Judge Janet Sanders sentenced Falco to serve two years in the Norfolk House of Correction, six months committed, with the balance suspended for three years.    » read more »

Agreement settles allegations of transportation services never provided to Medicaid recipients

January 30, 2008 -- TALLAHASSEE, FL - Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum today announced that the Florida Medicaid program has recovered more than $420,000 in a settlement resolving a potential false claims lawsuit against a Palm Beach County company. Employees of Palm Beach Transportation, Inc. allegedly used the names of Florida Medicaid patients to create false trip tickets, causing the Florida Medicaid program to reimburse the company for medical transport never provided.    » read more »

1-28-08 -- Lincoln, Neb. -- Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning today announced the recovery of more than $3 million by the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU). The unit investigated more than 80 cases of fraud and abuse in 2007. The MFCU also secured 10 criminal convictions last year for Medicaid fraud or theft from vulnerable adults.

“When providers steal from Medicaid, they’re stealing from Nebraskans,” said Bruning. “We’ll prosecute anyone who tries to get away with it.”    » read more »

January 29, 2008 -- TALLAHASSEE, FL – Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum today announced that a Miami pharmacy owner was sentenced to four years in prison for his role in a Medicaid Fraud scheme that defrauded the Florida Medicaid program out of more than $400,000. John Darrell Boyd was charged with using his Miami-based pharmacy, Safety Drugs, to fraudulently bill the program for prescription medications primarily for treating organ transplant patients.    » read more »

January 28, 2008 -- TRENTON - New Jersey Attorney General Anne Milgram and Division of Criminal Justice Director Gregory A. Paw announced that five people, including three members of a Union County family, have been indicted for allegedly participating in a health insurance fraud conspiracy.    » read more »

January 9, 2008 -- New Hampshire Attorney General Kelly A. Ayotte and Insurance Commissioner Roger A. Sevigny announced today the conviction of Wellington H. Potter for one count of Insurance Fraud stemming from a homeowner’s insurance claim made following a house fire.    » read more »

January 07, 2008 -- BOSTON – Today, Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley’s Office announced a record of $26.7 million recovered in settlements and judgments for Medicaid fraud cases in 2007. The sum represents the largest amount of Medicaid dollars recovered by the Attorney General’s Office, surpassing all years since the creation of the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Division, which was previously known as the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, in 1978.    » read more »

January 04, 2008 -- BOSTON – Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley’s Office filed a lawsuit in Suffolk Superior Court against Ohio-based insurer Great American Insurance Group for submitting a false insurance premium quote to a Massachusetts company. The complaint seeks relief in the form of restitution, attorneys’ fees, civil penalties, and a court order prohibiting the company from engaging further in unfair and deceptive business practices.    » read more »