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Date: 01-03-2024
Case Style:
United States of America v. Nina Bourret
Case Number:
Judge: Senior United States District Judge Henry Michael Herlong, Jr.
Court: The United States Attorney’s Office formbia the District of South Carolina
Plaintiff's Attorney: U.S. Attorney's Office, District of South Carolina
Defendant's Attorney:
Description:
Columbia, South Carolina Medicaid lawyer represented the Defendant for making fraudulent statements to Medicaid in connection with the delivery of autism spectrum disorder services.
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Nina Bourret, 41, of Greenville, was sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison after pleading guilty to making fraudulent statements to Medicaid in connection with the delivery of autism spectrum disorder services.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Bourret was an owner of Agapi Behavior Consultants, Inc. (“Agapi), which was a business that provided Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy to treat Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). From Feb. 2021 to Dec. 2022, Bourret submitted electronic claims to Medicaid on behalf of Agapi that falsely and fraudulently certified that services had been rendered and/or certified that services had been rendered in excess of what was actually provided to the beneficiary. The investigation revealed Bourret and Agapi submitted claims to Medicaid that contained false and fraudulent statements in the amount of $984,239.30.
Senior United States District Judge Henry Michael Herlong, Jr. sentenced Bourret to 12 months and one day imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
Bourret was also ordered to pay $1,760,547.94 in restitution. The restitution ordered represents the amount of fraudulent claims Bourret submitted to Medicaid while operating Agapi and an additional $776,308.64, which represents fraudulent claims Bourret submitted to Medicaid between May 2022 and May 2023 through a company called Navis Pad.
“When the programs that are intended to help those in most need of medical care are exploited, it takes away valuable resources from our neighbors,” said Adair F. Boroughs, U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to combat healthcare fraud in all its forms.”
“The defendant’s actions compromised the integrity of our healthcare systems,” said Steve Jensen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Columbia Field Office. “The message is clear; the FBI and its law enforcement partners remain steadfast in delivering justice for victims and bringing accountability to those who take advantage of our country’s healthcare programs.”
"Individuals who submit fraudulent claims to Medicaid undermine a valuable health care program intended to care for some of the most vulnerable populations in our communities,” said Tamala Miles, Special Agent in Charge with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to ensure that those alleged of defrauding federal health care programs are held accountable.”
“The South Carolina Attorney General’s Office condemns businesses that defraud the government to line their own pockets at the expense of South Carolina’s less fortunate and vulnerable individuals,” said South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson. “This is not a victimless crime, and we will continue to investigate these matters to combat provider fraud that ultimately affects everyone in South Carolina.”
The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office, the Department of Health and Human Services – Office of the Inspector General, and the South Carolina Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Bower prosecuted the case.
Outcome: One year and one day in federal prison
Plaintiff's Experts:
Defendant's Experts:
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