South Carolina autism clinic director indicted by federal jury for allegedly defrauding Medicaid out of thousands
Written by ABC AUDIO ALL RIGHTS RESERVED on May 18, 2023
(GREENVILLE, S.C.) — A South Carolina woman who ran an autism clinic is facing federal charges of health care fraud, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina.
Stamatina “Nina” Bourret, 41, from Greenville — 200 miles northwest of Charleston — was indicted by a federal grand jury Tuesday on 21 charges including fraud, and aiding and abetting for defrauding Medicaid.
According to the indictment, viewed by ABC News, Bourret ran Agapi Behavior Consultants, which allegedly provides clinic, in-school and at-home services for children with autism and other related disorders.
The clinic’s website says its programs are for those between ages 18 months to 21 years, and treatment consists of behavioral support, emotional training, family training, social skill training and generalizing skills.
The indictment states that from about July 2020 to April 2022, Bourret billed Medicaid for services that she and other workers either only provided partially or did not provide at all.
For example, the indictment alleges that Bourret submitted claims that services were provided on the weekends, despite the fact that Agapi was closed on weekends, and that she also submitted “false and fictitious claims for services beyond what was actually performed on the beneficiaries.”
She also submitted claims using the provider numbers of employees who did not work in the area of South Carolina where patients lived, and claims of employees who never treated these patients, the indictment says.
The claims ranged from about $58 to $436, according to the indictment.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina did not immediately reply to ABC News’ request for comment.
Bourret was arrested Tuesday and was released on a $25,000 bond on the condition she surrender her passport.
She faces a maximum of up to 10 years in prison for each charge. Bourret is also required to forfeit all process “obtained, directly or indirectly, from the offenses charged in this Indictment, that is, a minimum of approximately $1,109,430.00.”
Attempts to reach Bourret were unsuccessful, and a number listed for Agapi was not in service. Her next court appearance is scheduled for May 26 at the federal court in Greenville.
Her attorney, Andrew Moorman, told ABC News he could not comment on the case.
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