Bloomfield Counselor Shawn Tyson Pleads Guilty to Fraud

BLOOMFIELD, CT – Shawn Tyson, 54, of Bloomfield, Connecticut, has copped to health care fraud charges, according to a statement by Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut. On June 21, 2024, Tyson waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport.

As a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor (LADC) with an office at 330 Main Street in Hartford, Tyson was accused of colluding with another individual referred to as “Provider 1” between November 2019 and April 2023. Together, they are said to have bilked the Connecticut Medicaid program by submitting fraudulent claims for psychotherapy counseling sessions that were never rendered.

According to court documents, Tyson used his own Medicaid provider number to file false claims under the guise of providing services personally to Medicaid patients when, in fact, Provider 1 was the actual service provider. To hide their scheme, they allegedly provided fraudulent patient records during an audit in October and November 2022.

Health care fraud is a serious offense with a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment. As part of his plea deal, Tyson agreed to pay $670,960.72 in restitution to the Connecticut Medicaid program. Currently released on a $15,000 bond, Tyson’s sentencing hearing is yet to be scheduled.

The investigation leading to Tyson’s guilty plea was conducted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office of the Inspector General (OIG) in collaboration with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The Connecticut Department of Social Services provided assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Sheldon and Auditor Susan Spiegel are prosecuting the case.

This conviction is a part of the 2024 National Health Care Fraud Enforcement Action, which resulted in criminal charges against 193 defendants for their alleged participation in health care fraud and opioid abuse schemes totaling over $2.75 billion in false billings. Over $231 million in assets have been seized as a result of this enforcement action.

For those who suspect health care fraud, there is an encouragement to report it by calling 1-800-HHS-TIPS. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, Connecticut Chief State’s Attorney’s Office, and Connecticut Attorney General’s Office regularly meet as part of the Medicaid Fraud Working Group to review cases, identify trends, and coordinate efforts.