(Rocky Hill, CT) – Chief State’s Attorney Patrick J. Griffin today announced that a New Haven man has been sentenced in New Haven Superior Court for defrauding the Connecticut Medicaid Program by billing for personal care services he did not provide.
The Honorable Patrick F. Caruso today sentenced Gordon Skinner, age 49, of New Haven, to 364 days in prison, execution of that time suspended, with two years of conditional discharge. Skinner pleaded guilty under the Alford doctrine to Health Insurance Fraud, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes §53-442***, a class A misdemeanor. The defendant was ordered to refrain from acting as a provider or performing any services that would result in billings being submitted to Medicaid for payment, and to have no new arrests for which probable cause is found. Skinner paid $5,584.70 in restitution.
By pleading guilty to a program-related offense, Skinner is subject to exclusion as a care provider to certain federally funded health programs pursuant to federal and state laws and regulations. Medicaid is a government program that provides health coverage to low-income, disabled, and elderly individuals, and is financed by both the federal and state governments and administered by the Connecticut Department of Social Services.
The Connecticut Department of Developmental Services (DDS) Self-Directed Program is a Medicaid-funded program which provides recipients (consumers) who have disabilities with funds to hire support staff to assist them with daily self-care activities which enable them to reside in their homes and remain in the community. The program is a partially federally reimbursed service of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. The government funds awarded for this program are distributed by the Connecticut Department of Social Services (DSS) through a fiscal intermediary.
An investigation by the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit found that between May 2024 and December 2024, while Skinner was employed as a private hire individual day support provider, he submitted time sheets and was paid for services he never provided. By comparing payroll data and time submissions, it was determined that Skinner submitted 208 hours for work he did not perform and received $5,584.70 in monies he was not entitled to.
The case was investigated by and prosecuted by the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit in the Office of the Chief State’s Attorney. The Unit is grateful for the assistance It received from the Connecticut Department of Developmental Services - Abuse Investigation Unit, the Connecticut Department of Social Services - Office of Quality Assurance, and the New Haven Police Department.
The Connecticut Medicaid Fraud Control Unit receives 75 percent of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant award totaling $2,612,588 for fiscal year October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The remaining 25 percent, totaling $870,858 for the same fiscal year, is funded by the State of Connecticut.
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.