Hartford Woman, Mass. Woman Charged With Medicaid Fraud: State

HARTFORD/EAST WINDSOR, CT — A Hartford woman and a Massachusetts woman have been arrested in connection with an alleged scheme that resulted in more than $600,000 in improper payments from Connecticut's Medicaid program, according to the Office of the Chief State's Attorney Monday.

Carmen Wynter, 47, of Hartford, and Alyse Enderle, 39, of Ludlow, Massachusetts, were arrested Sept. 24 and Sept. 21, respectively, by inspectors with the state's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.

Enderle, formerly of Connecticut, is a board-certified behavior analyst and owner of East Windsor-based Autism Sparkles, an autism specialist group providing Applied Behavior Analysis therapy, according to prosecutors. Wynter worked as a behavioral technician for the organization.

Investigators allege that between December 2021 and September 2023, Enderle conspired with Wynter to submit, or cause to be submitted, Medicaid claims for services that were either not provided or not fully provided to clients.

That alleged scheme resulted in $353,805.99 in improper Medicaid payments, prosecutors said.

Authorities allege Enderle separately submitted or caused additional claims to be submitted for services to other clients that were not provided or not fully provided.

Those claims resulted in another $248,164.91 in improper payments, according to prosecutors.

The state alleges Enderle's fraudulent billing totaled $601,970.90.

Enderle was charged with two counts each of first-degree larceny by defrauding a public community and health insurance fraud, along with conspiracy to commit first-degree larceny by defrauding a public community and conspiracy to commit health insurance fraud.

Wynter was charged with first-degree larceny by defrauding a public community, health insurance fraud, and conspiracy counts of both offenses.

Both women were released on $150,000 non-surety bonds.

Enderle was scheduled for arraignment Tuesday, Sept. 29, at New Britain Superior Court. Wynter is scheduled to appear there Thursday, Oct. 1.

First-degree larceny by defrauding a public community and health insurance fraud are both Class B felonies punishable by up to 20 years in prison, according to prosecutors.

The Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigated the case with assistance from the state Department of Social Services' Office of Quality Assurance, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, the Connecticut Attorney General's Office, and New Britain police.

For more information on the case, click on this link.