Acting US Attorney Joel L. Violanti announced that Munef Fadhel, 37, of Lackawanna, NY, pleaded guilty to healthcare fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years, and a $250,000 fine. Assistant US Attorney Franz M. Wright, who is handling the case, stated that between June 2017, and December 2020, Fadhel defrauded the Medicaid program. Fadhel was an owner of Great Lake Transportation, Inc., a transportation company that provided rides to Medicaid beneficiaries. While working at Great Lake Transportation, he knowingly submitted multiple false and fraudulent records seeking transportation reimbursement for trips. Fadhel submitted claims for shared rides which he certified as individual rides in order to claim a higher reimbursement amount. This resulted in a loss to Medicaid in excess of $95,000.
