Nine therapists in New York, including Marsiste Adolphe, have been arrested and charged with stealing millions from a program for developmentally disabled children.
Marsiste Adolphe, Margaret Dominique-McLain, Mercedes Falcon, Tracy Gibson, Roselee Johnson, Jeannette Monclova, Manuel Moore, Kikelomo Ogundiran, and Dino Paolicelli, were charged with stealing more than $3 million from the New York State Early Intervention Program (EIP), including over $993,000 from Medicaid and more than $1,998,000 from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC DOHMH).
The EIP is a New York State program that provides remedial services to developmentally delayed children from birth to age three, such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, special instruction, and social work services.
The defendants, all EIP therapists, were arrested earlier today and are scheduled to make their initial appearance this afternoon before United States Chief Magistrate Judge Cheryl L. Pollak.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, the FBI, and the New York City Department of Investigation announced the charges.
“As alleged, the defendants exploited disabled infants and toddlers, the youngest and most vulnerable among us, to enrich themselves by millions of dollars,” stated U.S. Attorney Breon Peace. “This Office and our law enforcement partners will continue to vigorously protect government programs from fraud and abuse that not only hurts taxpayers, but also deprives developmentally delayed children from receiving much-needed services.”
The defendants allegedly submitted fraudulent documentation for thousands of EIP therapy sessions that never took place, resulting in millions of dollars in payments for non-existent sessions. The defendants collectively received more than $3 million in payments for these non-existent EIP therapy sessions.
For example, Adolphe claimed to provide EIP therapy sessions every single day of 2016, including on Christmas and Thanksgiving. Gibson claimed to provide EIP therapy sessions every day.
The case is ongoing, and the defendants are scheduled to appear in federal court today.
The charges against the defendants include conspiracy, theft of government funds, and healthcare fraud.
The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.
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Key Facts
- State: New York
- Category: Public Corruption|White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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