Connecticut Dental Practice Owner Charged with Identity Theft and Fraud
The owner of a Connecticut dentistry practice allegedly used a retired dentist's name to fraudulently bill insurance companies.
The owner of a Stamford, CT, dental practice is facing federal charges after she allegedly used stolen identity information to operate a healthcare fraud scheme.
Advanced Dentistry owner Elena Ilizarov, 43, was arrested last week.
The federal complaint against Ilizarov accuses her of fraudulently obtaining a retired dentist’s records back in 2005, and using that information to bill insurance companies for more than $1.1 million through her practice.
“This alleged scheme victimized a retired dentist who had his identity stolen, as well as multiple insurance companies that paid more than a million dollars in fraudulent claims. Healthcare insurance fraud schemes ultimately increase healthcare costs for all of us,” Deirdre Daly, US Attorney for the District of Connecticut said.
If convicted, Ilizarov faces up to 20 years in prison. She has been released on a $500,000 bond contingent on wearing a GPS monitoring device.
According to Daly, the announcement of the arrest was part of a national healthcare fraud takedown, led by the Medicare Fraud Strike Force.
This nationwide sweep of 36 federal districts resulted in criminal and civil charges against 300 people — including 61 doctors, nurses, and other licensed medical professionals for fraudulent billings of nearly $900 million.
