Mehran Zamani, Medicaid Fraud, Connecticut 2015

Defendant Pleads Guilty to Medicaid Fraud Scheme

Grimy Times has learned that Mehran Zamani, a 50-year-old dentist from Pound Ridge, New York, pleaded guilty to a federal health care fraud offense in Hartford federal court. Zamani's guilty plea stems from a multi-million Medicaid fraud scheme that occurred from approximately January 2009 to March 2011.

According to court documents, Zamani was hired by Gary Anusavice to work as a dentist at Landmark Dental, a dental practice in West Haven, Connecticut. Anusavice, a convicted felon and former dentist, was excluded from the Medicaid program. Despite this, Zamani signed applications for Landmark Dental and two other dental practices operated by Anusavice to become Medicaid providers. The applications failed to disclose Anusavice's disciplinary history and involvement in the practices.

Zamani subsequently submitted or caused to be submitted numerous claims to Connecticut Medicaid, resulting in nearly $21 million in Medicaid reimbursement payments to Anusavice's dental practices. As a result of this fraud, Zamani faces a maximum term of imprisonment of three years and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 6, 2015.

In March 2015, Zamani signed a settlement agreement with the U.S. Attorney's Office and the State of Connecticut, Office of the Attorney General. Under the terms of the agreement, Zamani agreed to pay $200,000, forfeit a dental office in Hartford, and give up all rights to approximately $1.9 million in Medicaid dollars that had been suspended by the Connecticut Department of Social Services.

Zamani also agreed to be excluded from all federal health care programs for a period of 10 years. Anusavice, who pleaded guilty to health care fraud and tax evasion offenses in 2013, was sentenced to 97 months of imprisonment and ordered to pay restitution of more than $5.2 million.

This matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Connecticut Attorney General's Office provided assistance with the investigation.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ct/pr/dentist-involved-medicaid-fraud-scheme-pleads-guilty