Two Guyanese are among three persons who have been indicted in the US in a multi-million US dollar Medicaid fraud. 

The three Sean Ally, Shamiza Ally and Lisette Joza are accused by the New York Attorney General of stealing over $1 million from the New York Medicaid programme by billing fake transportation services that were never provided. The Allys are Guyanese. 

Two of the defendants, Sean Ally and Lisette Joza were arrested recently upon their arrival at the JFK airport from Guyana.

The 3rd defendant, Shamiza Ally remains at large and is suspected to be hiding out in Guyana. 

According to US Court records, all three of the defendants fled the United States a few months ago, but the two who were arrested decided to return to the US recently.

The New York Attorney General Letitia James said Medicaid fraud hits those who can least afford it the hardest. She said her office will not allow those who are driven by greed to corrupt a system that is designed to support the health and wellbeing of America’s most vulnerable.

Prosecutors from the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) outlined the scheme whereby the defendants, together, using a number of different techniques, billed Medicaid for transportation services under their “Purple Heart Transportation Services in Queens, New York.

The services never occurred.

Medicaid reimburses transportation providers for transporting Medicaid patients to and from covered medical services.

Court documents revealed that between late September 2017 and early May 2019, Purple Heart submitted claims to and collected from Medicaid over US$29 million for allegedly providing transportation services to Medicaid patients in and around New York City.

However, prosecutors found and allege that over US$19 million of that amount was for unmatched services — services for which there no corresponding bill for medical treatment for the patients who purportedly received the transportation services.

During their investigation, prosecutors uncovered a number of different techniques allegedly used by the defendants to submit claims to Medicaid for fake trips.

Related posts:

Guyanese woman wanted in Medicaid fraud surrenders to US Authorities Six former GRDB Board members granted $500,000 bail each in alleged multi million dollar fraud Guyanese woman in The Bronx sentenced to five years probation in Medicaid fraud case Multi million dollar fraud rocks Scotia Bank Bartica