Vermont Business Magazine Karen Tucker, of Swanton, Vermont, Pauline Gaboury of Essex Junction, Vermont, Christy Richard of St. Albans, Vermont, and Katherine Tucker of Milton, Vermont were all recently convicted of charges related to a Medicaid Fraud scheme orchestrated by Karen Tucker in Franklin County that resulted in over $100,000 in losses to Vermont Medicaid Program over a nearly five-year period.
Each of Karen Tucker, Pauline Gaboury, Christy Richard, and Katherine Tucker, admitted to participation in a scheme to submit false timesheets to ARIS Solutions, the payroll facilitator contracted by the State of Vermont to process payments under the Children’s Personal Care Program, a Vermont Medicaid program. Karen Tucker was the employer-of-record, and each of the other women were purported caregivers for three child beneficiaries. The State alleged that the children were not under Tucker’s supervision for large portions of the time related to the claims, and that each of the four convicted defendants admitted that they did not provide care as indicated on the timesheets.
Karen Tucker, entered guilty pleas and was convicted of four counts of Medicaid Fraud on August 17, 2016. She was sentenced to 4-8 years of incarceration, suspended except for two years to serve with a preapproved furlough for a court approved treatment program after 12 months of incarceration. She was additionally sentenced to 5 years of probation and ordered to pay restitution of $96,932.40 to the Vermont Medicaid Program. Pauline Gaboury pled guilty and was convicted of two misdemeanor counts of False Pretenses on May 3, 2016. She was sentenced to 9-18 months of incarceration, all suspended, with 18 months of probation. Ms. Gaboury was also ordered to pay $11,642.40 in restitution. Christy Richard pled guilty on June 7, 2016, and was convicted on one misdemeanor count of False Pretenses. Richard was sentenced to 6 to 12 months incarceration, all suspended with 12 months of probation, and ordered to pay restitution of $5672.40. Katherine Tucker pled guilty and was convicted of one misdemeanor count of False Pretenses on April 26, 2016. She was sentenced to 0-12 months of incarceration, all suspended with 12 months of probation. Katherine Tucker was also ordered to pay $4,495.00 in restitution to the Vermont Medicaid Program. As a consequence of their convictions, each of the four defendants is likely to be excluded from participation as a provider in Medicaid, Medicare, and other federally-funded healthcare programs for five years.
The case was investigated and prosecuted by the Medicaid Fraud and Residential Abuse Unit within the Vermont Attorney General’s Office with assistance from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General.
Vermont AG: Aug 19, 2016