WESTFORD – A Westford woman was recently convicted in a multi million dollar health care fraud scheme.
Faith Newton was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, one count health care fraud, and three counts of money laundering according to a news release from the United States Attorney’s Office. Newton was not found guilty of one count of money laundering conspiracy.
“Ms. Newton deliberately orchestrated a scheme to defraud MassHealth and took advantage of her patients and their families in the process,” Joshua S. Levy, acting United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts, said in the release.
With the $100 million theft Newton gave herself million dollar cash bonuses, a lavish house, and a Maserati. She was charged and arrested with her co-defendant, Winnie Waruru, in February of 2021.
The fraud targeted Medicaid, billing taxpayers for home health services that they did not provide.
Newton was a part owner and operator of Arbor Homecare Services LLC from January 2013 to January 2017. During this time, Arbor, under Newton, failed to train staff, billed for home health services that were never provided or were not medically necessary, and billed for home health services that were not authorized.
Arbor also entered sham employment relationships with patients’ family members to provide health services that were not medically necessary and billed for visits that did not occur.
Waruru pleaded guilty in September 2022 with sentencing scheduled for Sept. 18.
Newton’s sentencing will be scheduled at a later date.
Charges for health care fraud, conspiracy to commit health care fraud, and money laundering carry a sentence of up to 10 years in prison for each conviction, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice that amount. Sentences are imposed by a federal-district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
