Health workers accused of Medicaid fraud Walter Pacheco The Orlando Sentinel, Fla. McClatchy-Tribune Regional News
February 20 - Three Orlando health workers are pampered with lavish trips and using a baby shower from $ 200,000 to Medicaid, the Office of the Attorney General of Florida said.

Investigators Scarborough said Tammy Lee, owner of the construction of a Community Connection (BCC), and employee Sharon D. Smith presented fraudulent claims to Medicaid for services never provided to customers with disabilities.

Kathy Marinelli, a coordinator employed by the BCC, played with the scheme, officials said.

"This should send a message to individuals in similar positions, even if they do not work for the company of fraudulent billing, if you engage in fraud, we will still hold them accountable," said Sandi Copes, door Voice at the Office of the Attorney General of Florida.

Scarborough, 39, and Marinelli, 57, both of Ocoee, and Smith, 41, of Kissimmee are held at the Orange County Jail.

The suspects face charges of extortion, conspiracy to engage in racketeering, organized fraud, Medicaid provider fraud, grand theft and criminal use of personal identification, arrest affidavit shows.

If convicted, the women can spend 30 years in prison.

Copes could not specify the amount of money spent on women and travel baby shower that others say they have "a lavish lifestyle."

The company is a Scarborough home and community-based service that provides respite, personal care and assistance company to help disabled people live in the comfort of their homes and not an institution.

Caregivers normally make these services to their customers, who are insured by Medicaid, then the federal bill on the status of a reimbursement program.

Instead, Scarborough, Smith and Marinelli pocketed the money charged for services never delivered, officials said.

The report of the Office of the Attorney General has written, perhaps, the women began their scheme in 2004, but investigators got wind of it in 2006 after the Agency for Persons with Disabilities warned that the BCC was the presentation his claims for services never rendered to customers with disabilities.

The survey indicates women submitted claims for services rendered by "dummy" employees, a former worker who described it as a fiction of care.

Smith also falsified time sheets, and the trio of pocket money from their overtime billed Medicaid, officials said.

A former employee told investigators that she had warned about Scarborough building employees and customers of signatures, but the practice continues.

A customer complained to the BCC of a bill for work never performed. BCC has returned the money to Medicaid, the investigator said.

Scarborough, Smith and Marinelli also accused of persuading the parents of children with disabilities to provide services for their children in exchange for $ 1,000 to $ 30,000 for the false application for Medicaid reimbursement.

In some cases, parents did not provide services to their children, the report shows.

The women then the rest of the money, officials said.