The Massachusetts operator of a chain of addiction treatment clinics is charged in federal court in Providence, RI, with millions of dollars of healthcare fraud, aggravated identity theft, money laundering and obstruction. In addition, the treatment center and its former supervisory counselor were also charged with healthcare fraud. Michael Brier, 60, of Newton, MA, Mi Ok Bruining, 62, of Warwick, RI, and Recovery Connections Centers of America, Inc. (RCCA) are charged by criminal complaint with healthcare fraud. Michael Brier was also charged in the complaint with aggravated identity theft, money laundering and obstruction.
It is alleged in court documents that, Brier, Bruining, and RCCA shortchanged Rhode Island and Massachusetts substance abuse disorder patients out of much needed counseling and treatment services, while defrauding Medicare, Medicaid, and other health insurers out of millions of dollars. Brier, Bruining and RCCA operated a chain of addiction treatment centers but failed to provide the patients with the required counseling sessions and treatment, while simultaneous billing Medicare, Medicaid and other healthcare payors for 45-minute counseling sessions on a routine basis even though the sessions were not more than 15 minutes, and often only 5–10 minutes or less. At times, so many counseling sessions were billed at this level that the total amount of time would be impossible for the available therapist to have provided in any 24-hour period.
Brier and RCCA are also alleged to have caused a fraudulent application to be submitted to Medicare which, among other things, misrepresented and concealed the role that Brier was playing in the business and failed to disclose Brier’s 2013 criminal conviction for federal tax crimes, which was relevant to Medicare’s consideration of the application. The Complaint also alleges that Brier purported to practice medicine and wrote and caused to be filled fraudulent prescriptions using the names and prescriber information, including Drug Enforcement Administration numbers, of doctors without their permission. Brier is also alleged to have falsified a document in a matter within the jurisdiction of an agency of the United States by causing the Medical Director to sign a false and back-dated document. The complaint alleges that defendants caused millions of dollars in fraudulent billings to be submitted to Medicare and millions more in fraudulent billings to other healthcare payors. The government is also seeking to forfeit thirteen bank accounts, two buildings, and two vehicles allegedly realized by the defendants as a result of the alleged criminal conduct.
