Medicaid Fraud Crackdown: Six RI Suspects Charged

PROVIDENCE, RI — Six Rhode Island suspects were arrested Wednesday as part of a crackdown on Medicaid fraud, state Atty. Gen. Peter Kilmartin said today. Nationwide, more than 412 suspects have been charged, including more than 115 doctors, nurses and other licensed medical professionals, for their alleged participation in health care fraud schemes involving over $1.3 billion in false billings.

On Wednesday morning, members of the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control and Patient Abuse Unit, along with special agents from the federal Office of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, executed warrants and arrested the following individuals, charged with medical assistance fraud and conspiracy.

Giovanne Gomez, 29, of Providence:

• Two counts of medical assistance fraud
• Five counts of conspiracy

Tomas Espinal, 40, of Providence:

• Two counts of medical assistance fraud
• One count of laundering monetary instruments
• One count of conspiracy

Margarita Martinez, 55, of Providence:

• One count of medical assistance fraud
• One count of conspiracy

Mariser Liranzo, 37, of Providence:

• Two counts of medical assistance fraud
• One count of conspiracy

Two additional defendants turned themselves in on Thursday morning:

Martine Silva, of Providence:

• Two counts of medical assistance fraud
• Two counts of conspiracy

Anair Centeio, 40, of North Providence:

Two counts of medical assistance fraud

One count of conspiracy

Kilmartin's office said the fraud allegedly occurred between February 2016 and March 2017. Gomez, who was employed as a coordinating manager at A Caring Experience, a state-Medicaid provider, and Martine Silva, who was also employed at A Caring Experience, conspired with the other defendants to steal the identities of former employees for the purposes of submitting falsified time sheets. It is further alleged that the fraudulent pay was diverted to several bank accounts linked to the defendants.

The scheme was detected.

A Caring Experience reported the problem to the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, which began the investigation. It is estimated the defendants fraudulently stole approximately $130,000.

Gomez, Espinal, Martinez, and Liranzo were arraigned on Wednesday in 6th Division District Court before Judge William C. Clifton. Bail was set at $10,000 personal recognizance. They are due back in court for a pre-arraignment conference on Oct. 4.

Silva and Centeio were arraigned before Judge Clifton this morning. Bail was set at $4,000 personal recognizance for Silva and $3,000 personal recognizance for Centeio. Both are due back in court for a pre-arraignment conference on Oct. 5.

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