Press Releases
12/22/2022
Meriden Couple Charged in Scheme to Defraud Medicaid
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Rocky Hill, CT) – A Meriden couple was arrested and charged today with defrauding Medicaid by billing the government health care program for services not rendered.
Inspectors from the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit in the Office of the Chief State’s Attorney arrested Eugenio Ortiz, 38, and Maria Perez, 40, and charged each of them with Larceny in the First Degree by Defrauding a Public Community, Conspiracy to Commit Larceny in the First Degree by Defrauding a Public Community, Health Insurance Fraud, and Conspiracy to Commit Health Insurance Fraud.
According to the arrest warrant affidavit, between January 2020 and June 2020, both were employed as Personal Care Assistants. During this period, time sheets, claiming hours worked by Ortiz, were submitted by Perez while Ortiz was incarcerated. The amount of Medicaid monies fraudulently received by the couple for care not given totaled $5,300.97.
Ortiz and Perez were employed under the Personal Care Assistance Waiver (PCA) program, which is a federal and state funded Medicaid program administered by the Department of Social Services that provides funds to allow people with disabilities to hire assistants for daily care, thus enabling the individuals to remain at home instead of being placed in a health care facility.
Ortiz was released on a $25,000 non-surety bond and Perez was released on a $10,000 non-surety bond. They are scheduled to appear in Meriden Superior Court on December 29, 2022. The charges are merely accusations and they are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case will be prosecuted by the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. The Unit is grateful for the assistance it received in the investigation from the Department of Social Services’ Office of Quality Assurance, as well as the Meriden Police Department.
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.
