Fairfield Dentist Charged with Violating Medicaid Ban

Targeted News Service

HARTFORD, Conn., June 18 -- The Connecticut Division of Criminal Justice'sOffice of Chief State's Attorney issued the following news:

A Fairfield dentist who was barred by the federal government from participating in Medicaid was arrested today and charged with continuing to bill and receive payments from the government health care program.

PAUL DENGELEGI, age 51, of Lockwood Circle, Fairfield, was arrested by Inspectors from the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit in the Office of the Chief State's Attorney and charged with one count each of Larceny in the First Degree by Defrauding a Public Community and Insurance Fraud.

Medicaid is a federal and state funded program that provides health care to low- and no-income individuals. A federal exclusion means, among other things, that a health care provider is barred from participation in government health care programs. An excluded provider may not submit or receive taxpayer dollars in payment for services rendered.

According to the arrest warrant affidavit, the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit received a complaint from the Connecticut Department of Social Services alleging that Dengelegi improperly billed for Medicaid for services while he was excluded from participation in government health care programs.

In August 2009 Dengelegi was excluded as a health care provider by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, but between April and October 2011 improperly submitted 989 claims and was paid $94,792.84 while prohibited from doing so, the warrant states.

Dengelegi was released on a $100,000 non-surety bond and is scheduled to appear in Hartford Superior Court, G.A. No. 14, on June 26, 2014. The charges are merely accusations and he is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

Larceny in the First Degree by Defrauding A Public Community is a class B felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Insurance Fraud is a class D felony punishable by up to 5 years in prison.

The case will be prosecuted by the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. The Unit is grateful for the assistance it received in this investigation from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General-Office of Investigations in Hartford, and the Rocky Hill Police Department.

CC AutoTriage5rn-140619-30FurigayJane-4771244 30FurigayJane