www.Justice.gov, Press Release, February 1, 2023
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that MARIANNA LEVIN was sentenced to 54 months in prison for her leadership role in a broad fraud scheme that defrauded Medicaid for home health and personal care services that were not actually rendered, resulting in the loss of more than $100 million. United States District Judge John P. Cronan imposed the sentence. LEVIN pled guilty to wire fraud on June 1, 2022.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “For years, Marianna Levin, the owner of a Brooklyn-based home health agency, defrauded taxpayers through a massive, fraudulent home health scheme. As part of the scheme, Levin billed tens of millions of dollars to Medicaid for home health services that were not actually rendered. As a result, the scheme diverted much-needed resources meant to support services for vulnerable individuals. Today’s sentence sends a message that those who engage in health care fraud schemes will face stiff penalties.”
According to statements and filings in federal court:
Since in or about 2015, LEVIN engaged in a widespread fraud scheme through which she and her co-conspirators defrauded Medicaid for home health and personal care services that were not actually rendered. During the course of the scheme, LEVIN served in a senior, executive role at a licensed home care service agency based in Brooklyn, New York (“Agency-1”). In or about 2016, LEVIN and her co-conspirators opened a second licensed home care service agency based in Brooklyn (“Agency-2” and, together with Agency-1, the “Agencies”). LEVIN served as the owner of Agency-2 and also continued in her leadership role at Agency-1.
The Agencies purported to provide home health and personal care services to patients residing in all five boroughs of New York City and Nassau County. Combined, the Agencies employed approximately 3,000 home health and personal care aides (the “Aides”). Most of the Aides were licensed to provide home health aide services and personal care services.
Home care is a health service provided in the patient’s home to promote, maintain, or restore health or to lessen the effects of illness and disability. Home care includes personal care services, administered by Aides, including housekeeping, meal preparation, bathing, toileting, and grooming. Continue Press Release