A Bristol woman has been sentenced to four years in federal prison for defrauding Connecticut’s Medicaid program.
Ronnette Brown, 45, was sentenced to 48 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in Bridgeport.
Brown was found guilty of 23 counts of health care fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud on May 26, 2017.
According to the evidence at trial, Brown owned and operated WeMPACT, LLC, a social services business with offices in Bristol and Torrington. Between August 2010 and April 2014, Brown billed Medicaid for psychotherapy services that were not performed.
In addition to that scheme, Brown separately conspired with Beverly Coker and another unnamed individual to bill Medicaid for psychotherapy services that represented Coker had performed the services when, in fact, the services were provided by unlicensed individuals, or were not provided at all.
Coker, a licensed clinical social worker, owned and operated New Beginnings Family Center, LLC, in Hartford. On April 8, 2016, Coker, of Windsor, pleaded guilty to one count of health care fraud, admitting that between October 2010 and November 2011, she engaged in a scheme to defraud Medicaid by permitting Brown and another individual to bill Medicaid for psychotherapy services using Coker’s Medicaid provider number.
Judge Bolden ordered Brown to pay restitution in the amount of $2,033,962.
Brown has been released on a $100,000 bond since her arrest on May 23, 2016. Judge Bolden ordered her to report to prison on May 31, 2018.
Key Facts
- State: Connecticut
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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