Arts & Crafts Fraud: Medicare Hit for $200K

⏱ 2 min read

Irina Segal, the owner of Bucks County’s Segal Arts, LLC, just cut a check for $200,000 to settle a federal fraud case, admitting she ripped off Medicare by billing for occupational therapy that patients never received. Segal allegedly swapped legitimate, individualized care for group arts and crafts sessions at facilities in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, then billed the government as if it were the real deal. The scheme unfolded over an unspecified period, but investigators say it continued even after warnings.

Federal investigators claim Segal wasn’t playing dumb. She understood the difference between proper occupational therapy and a glorified coloring book session, but knowingly submitted bogus claims anyway, lining her pockets at the expense of a program meant to help seniors. Maureen Dixon of the HHS Office of Inspector General didn’t mince words: “This was a deliberate attempt to line her pockets.”

The $200,000 settlement represents Segal’s current ability to pay, meaning the true amount of the fraud could be significantly higher. While this is a civil settlement—no criminal charges have been filed as of yet—it underscores a growing federal crackdown on Medicare scams preying on vulnerable populations.

Segal Arts, LLC, catered to a network of facilities across Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Investigators have not released a list of the specific impacted facilities, leaving questions about the full scope of the alleged deception unanswered.