TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit today announced the arrest of an Indian River County resident for Medicaid fraud. Michael Jacob Rothman worked for a home health care agency and provided behavior analyst services to three Medicaid recipients, all three with disabilities and two being children. Rothman submitted timesheets for services never provided, stealing nearly $12,000 from the Medicaid program.
Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “Falsifying timesheets to receive thousands of dollars from Medicaid jeopardizes the integrity of the healthcare program and ultimately harms taxpayers. I’m proud of my Medicaid Fraud Control Unit for stopping this fraudulent scheme and ensuring the suspect charged with stealing thousands of taxpayer dollars faces justice.”
According to an investigation by MFCU, a parent of one of the children noticed incorrect information on a Medicaid online portal. The parent saw Medicaid bills for services not provided to her son. After further investigation, MFCU found that Rothman cheated three victims out of services by billing the Medicaid program for four months on 16 alleged visits to patients.
Rothman faces one count of Medicaid provider fraud, organized fraud and grand theft, all third-degree felonies and punishable up to a term of five years. The State Attorney’s Office for the 19th Judicial Circuit will prosecute this case.