RI Office Manager, Son Defraud Dermatologist Out Of $490K: Feds

PROVIDENCE, RI — A former office manager for a Pawtucket dermatologist office and her son are facing federal charges, following a health care fraud investigation.

According to court documents, Tianna Keller, 66, of Easton, Massachusetts, used her position as office manager, her authority to sign office documents and her position as benefits manager to orchestrate schemes to enrich herself, her son and a friend.

Prosecutors said Keller defrauded the practice out of about $490,000. She did this by giving herself unauthorized salary increases totaling approximately $185,061, adding family members and a friend to the payroll and providing them with unauthorized gross wages totaling $46,703, failing to deposit nearly $108,000 in patient cash payments, issuing dozens of checks payable to herself and others, signing the name of the medical practice’s owner without his permission and using company funds and credit cards as payment for her rent, a daughter’s tuition, restaurant, grocery, retail and other personal and travel expenses and personal services, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors said Keller also authorized continued enrollment and payment for family medical insurance coverage for her son, Brandyn Coffman, 30, of New Braunfels, Texas, and his family, even after his self-termination as a data clerk at the medical practice, authorizing payment of nearly $40,000 for this coverage.

Blue Cross Blue Shield paid more than $14,000 in claims submitted by Coffman and his family, according to court documents. Coffman also made false statements to police, claiming he was unaware of the coverage and that he "didn’t even think to use the plan," according to prosecutors.

Prosecutors said Keller, who was receiving temporary disability insurance (TDI) payments at the time of her termination from the medical practice, continued to collect TDI even after she began employment elsewhere. The amount illegally collected was $11,847, according to court documents.

Keller was charged with conspiracy to commit health care fraud, health care fraud, wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. Coffman was charged with conspiracy to commit health care fraud, health care fraud and making materially false statements to agents.