Dearborn woman charged in dental Medicaid fraud scheme
FOX 2 - A 41-year-old Dearborn woman was arraigned in district court Wednesday on 15 charges of Medicaid fraud by Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel.
The backstory:
Lina Abraham was employed as an office manager at Dearborn Family Smiles, a dental clinic in Dearborn, at the time of the alleged crimes.
Abraham allegedly carried out the scheme under her clinic’s former name, Artistic Dentistry.
Dental Medicaid Fraud Scheme
Dig deeper:
Investigators say Abraham repeatedly billed the taxpayer-funded Medicaid program for dental crowns that were never provided to patients.
Nessel's office said that Abraham is believed to have acted alone and that no others associated with the dental clinic were involved in the scheme.
What they're saying:
"Medicaid provides access to health care for millions of Americans," said Nessel in a statement. "It is a vital resource for family health all across Michigan, and my office is specifically entrusted to defend the state and federal program from fraud."
What's next:
Abraham is charged with one count of conducting a criminal enterprise, punishable by up to 20 years’ incarceration and/or a fine of up to $100,000.
She is also charged with 14 counts of Medicaid fraud, each punishable by up to four years’ incarceration and/or a fine of up to $50,000.
Abraham was arraigned on September 23rd, and will next appear before the 54B District Court for a probable cause conference on October 2nd.
The Source: Information for this story is from Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel's office.