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Garfield Counseling Center Owner Pleads Guilty to Health Care Fraud Scheme
Admission to Fabricating Hundreds of Claims Marks a Significant Legal Development in New Jersey
NEWARK, NJ – In a significant turn of events, Maria P. Cosentino, the owner of Bergen Alliance Counseling Services in Garfield, New Jersey, has confessed to orchestrating a health care fraud scheme. The admission came during proceedings in the Newark federal court, where U.S. District Judge Katharine S. Hayden presided.
At 60 years old, Cosentino faced charges for submitting numerous fraudulent claims to private health insurers, falsely inflating her reimbursement by fabricating patient visits and treatments.
"This defendant admitted today that she falsified claims in order to boost her payments, in some cases, making up visits for counseling and other treatments out of whole cloth," stated U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger, expressing a firm commitment to combating such exploitations of the health care system.
Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy of the FBI's Newark division highlighted the broader implications of Cosentino's actions, noting the strain such fraud places on the integrity of health care and its financial systems. He urged the public to report similar fraudulent activities to assist in safeguarding essential health services.
Bergen Alliance Counseling Services, under Cosentino's ownership, was billed as a provider of comprehensive counseling and mental health services. However, the guilty plea reveals a pattern of deceit whereby Cosentino claimed to have conducted counseling sessions that never occurred. These fictitious claims were made for patients who had either stopped attending the center, were abroad, or had never been clients, leading to unearned reimbursements exceeding $700,000.
Cosentino now faces a potential maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, alongside a fine of up to $250,000 or double the fraudulent gain or loss, emphasizing the serious nature of her offenses. Her sentencing is scheduled for July 23, 2024, marking a pivotal date for justice in this case.
The investigation, led by the FBI with commendation from U.S. Attorney Sellinger, underscores a concerted effort to root out fraudulent practices in health care. Assistant U.S. Attorney DeNae Thomas of the Health Care Fraud Unit represents the government, signaling the serious legal response to such fraudulent activities in New Jersey's healthcare sector.
