BOSTON — A Grand Jury indicted a Lynn woman Thursday in connecton to allegations she stole almost half a million dollars from MassHealth, according to a press release sent Friday from the state’s Attorney General’s office.
Marilyn Beltran, 42, was indicted in Suffolk County on seven charges of presentation of false claims and and larceny over $250, according to the release. Her longtime partner, 43-year-old Eliu Matos, 43, also of Lynn, was indicted in connection to the scheme by a Suffolk County Grand Jury on similar charges, according to the release.
The release cites an investigation that alleges Beltrane illicitly tooke out out false transportation reimbursements from MassHealth in the name of family members and then cashed the checks for herself.
“This deception not only defrauds taxpayers, it also exploits the integrity of a system that is meant to help those most in need,” said Attorney General Martha Coakley in a statement.
Beltran worked as a transportation specialist at Maximus, a private company contracted by the state to administer MassHealth’s transportation programs. The press release says her main responsibility was to enter transportation reimbursement information into a system so that eligible MassHealth members could receive assistance for travel to medical appointments.
According to an investigation by the state, from October 2003 to July 2012, Beltran allegedly entered reimbursements credited to her family members into a MassHealth database, leading to the state issuing more than $490,000 in checks to those family members. Beltran allegedly either deposited these checks into her bank account or the checks were cashed upon receipt, according to the press release, which cites authorities familiar with the investigation.
The release says that authorities also allege that Matos, Beltran’s longtime partner, knowingly participated in the scheme and cashed fraudulent checks he received in his name from Beltran.
The alleged scheme was brought to light in July after Maximus discovered evidence of theft through its own internal investigation and reported it to the AG’s office and the state’s Executive Office of Health and Human Services, according to the release.
The state is currently working on procedures and cross checks to prevent something like this from happening again, said Alec Loftus, a spokesman for the state’s health and human services department. Loftus said Maximus will repay restitution to the state for funds lost in the alleged scheme.
“MassHealth has been working with the Attorney General’s office as they investigate these seriously troubling allegations. To ensure that something like this never happens again, MassHealth initiated a weekly payment cross-check with MAXIMUS and has also worked with the contractor to tighten their internal controls. MAXIMUS has offered restitution for any losses due to the actions of their former employee,” Loftus said in a statement.
Beltrane and Matos are scheduled to be arraigned in Suffolk Superior Court on Jan. 17.
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