HARRISBURG – Agents from the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Section have arrested a Bradford County speech pathologist who is accused of submitting claims for more than $366,000 in services that he did not provide, along with allegedly fabricating records to disguise the fraud.
Attorney General Tom Corbett identified the defendant as Peter Anthony Ferrulli, 40, of 101 York Ave., Towanda. Ferrulli is the owner and operator of Spectrum Therapeutic Services, Inc., State Route 6, Wysox.
Corbett said that Ferrulli is accused of fraudulent Medicaid claims for speech services he purportedly provided to 57 different patients – including times and dates when Ferrulli was on vacation, in the hospital or attending activities with his children, along with holidays and other times when Ferrulli or the patients were unavailable. Between January 2005 and June 2010 those falsified claims allegedly totaled $366,977.
“The Medicaid program is intended to help families with low incomes get much-needed medical services,” Corbett said. “Fraudulent claims not only divert resources away from patient care and help to drive up costs, but also take money from the pockets of state and federal taxpayers who ultimately fund the Medicaid program.”
Corbett said that Ferrulli is charged with 57 counts of Medicaid fraud (submitting false information) and 57 counts of Medicaid fraud (services not rendered), all third-degree felonies which are each punishable by up to seven years in prison and $15,000 fines.
Additionally, Ferrulli is charged with one count of Medicaid Fraud (submission of duplicate claims) and one count of theft by deception, both third-degree felonies which are each punishable by up to seven years in prison and $15,000 fines.
Ferrulli was taken into custody by agents from the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Section on August 19th and preliminarily arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Fred M. Wheaton, in Wysox, Bradford County. Ferrulli was jailed in lieu of $200,000 bail, ordered to surrender his passport, may not travel outside the Bradford County area without court permission and is prohibited from having any contact with potential witnesses in the case.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for August 30th, at 1 p.m., before Magisterial District Judge Wheaton.
Ferrulli will be prosecuted in Bradford County by Senior Deputy Attorney General Heather M. Albright of the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Section.
Corbett thanked the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare for their cooperation and assistance with this investigation.
