Family fraud: Third family member charged with stealing from Medicaid, Chief State’s Attorney says

May 31-- May 31--A Rocky Hill woman was arrested Friday and charged with conspiring with her son and daughter-in-law to cheat the government out of more than $50,000 by billing a Medicaid program for care that was never provided to a disabled relative, a Chief State's Attorney's spokesman said.

Georgina Felix, 65, of Walnut Street was charged with first-degree larceny by defrauding a public community, conspiracy to commit first-degree larceny by defrauding a public community, health insurance fraud and conspiracy to commit health insurance fraud, Mark Dupuis said.

Felix's son, William Colon, 42, and his wife, Clara Rivera Coon, 41, both of New Britain, were arrested earlier this month.

According to the warrant for her arrest, Felix approved and submitted hundreds of time sheets for the Colons, who were employed as personal care assistants for another relative. The couple billed nearly $56,000 for in-home care they never provided. The Medicaid program allows disabled adults to hire assistants for daily care, enabling the person to stay home rather than be put in a nursing home.

The Colons shared the proceeds of the bogus claims with Felix or used them for vacations, park passes and hotels, the warrant said.

Felix was released on a promise to appear in Superior Court in Hartford on June 18, Dupuis said. The Colons also were released from custody after their arrests on similar charges; William Colon's arrest was May 22 and Clara Rivera Colon's was May 9.

The larceny charges are Class B felonies punishable by up to 20 years in prison, Dupuis said. The health insurance fraud charges also are felonies, punishable by up to five years in prison.

The Medicaid Control Fraud Unit of the state Division of Criminal Justice is prosecuting the cases.

Christine Dempsey can be reached at [email protected].

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