Behavior Technician Defrauded Medicaid $119,000+
Release Date
Mar 10, 2023
Contact
Whitney Ray
Phone
850-245-0150
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit today announced the arrest of a registered behavior technician. According to an investigation by the MFCU and the Hialeah Police Department, Greter Brito Acosta defrauded the Florida Medicaid program out of more than $119,000 for falsifying documentation and receiving money for services not rendered.
Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “This defendant falsified service records and billed for services not provided to steal more than $100,000 from taxpayers. My Medicaid Fraud Control Unit put an end to this scheme, and now the defendant will have to answer for her crimes.”
The investigation shows that Acosta claimed to provide care for two minors who received Medicaid. Instead of providing the registered behavior technician services though, Acosta would visit the homes of the recipients, log in via a cellphone application to verify the visit, turn off the GPS function of the cellphone and leave. Hours later, Acosta returned to the residence, turned the GPS function of the cellphone back on and logged out of the application, making it appear as though the defendant stayed at the residency for hours.
Acosta bribed the recipient’s parents with monetary kickbacks to go along with the falsified documentation, progress reports and more. The investigation also revealed that Acosta originally paid someone to fraudulently take the defendant’s registered behavior technician certification exam.
Acosta is charged with one count of Medicaid fraud, a first-degree felony.
This case will be prosecuted by the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office.
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The Florida Attorney General's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigates allegations of patient abuse, neglect, and exploitation in facilities receiving payments under the Medicaid program. Additionally, the MFCU investigates and prosecutes providers that intentionally defraud the state's Medicaid program through fraudulent billing practices. Medicaid fraud essentially steals from Florida's taxpayers.
The Florida MFCU is funded through a grant totaling $30,219,404 for Federal Fiscal Year 2023, from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General. The Federal Share of these funds is 75% totaling $22,664,556. The State Matching Share of these funds is 25% totaling $7,554,848 and is funded by Florida.
The Florida MFCU is funded through a grant totaling $30,219,404 for Federal Fiscal Year 2023, from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General. The Federal Share of these funds is 75% totaling $22,664,556. The State Matching Share of these funds is 25% totaling $7,554,848 and is funded by Florida.