(Rocky Hill, CT) – A New Haven man who worked as an individual day support provider for people with disabilities was arrested and charged with billing Medicaid for personal care services he did not provide.
Gordon Skinner, age 48, of New Haven, was arrested on September 9, 2025 by Inspectors from the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit in the Office of the Chief State's Attorney and charged with one count of Larceny in the First Degree By Defrauding A Public Community, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 53a-122(a)(3), and one count of Health Insurance Fraud, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 53-442.
The Connecticut Department of Developmental Services (DDS) Self-Directed Program is a Medicaid-funded program that provides people with disabilities with funds to hire support staff to assist them with daily self-care activities which enables 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, Skinner, who was employed as a private hire individual day support provider, submitted time sheets and was paid for services he did not provide to a particular client. The parents of the client became aware of Skinner fraudulently billing for services that were not provided to their child and reported it to the DDS. By comparing payroll data, it was determined that Skinner was paid for over 200 hours for services never provided. The investigation revealed Skinner billed for 208 hours not rendered, totaling $5,584.70.
The money profited by him in the amount of $5,584.70, constitutes the crime of Larceny in the First Degree by Defrauding a Public Community. The submissions of the claims to the Department of Social Services contained false, incomplete, deceptive or misleading information which constitutes the crime of Health Insurance Fraud.
Larceny in the First Degree by Defrauding a Public Community and Health Insurance Fraud are each classified as a Class B felony and punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
Skinner is scheduled to appear in New Haven Superior Court, Geographical Area No. 23, on September 18, 2025. The charges are merely accusations and he is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The Medicaid Fraud Control Unit is grateful for the assistance it received in this investigation 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 $2,362,872 for the fiscal year of October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2025. The remaining 25 percent, totaling $787,620 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.