Norwalk counselor arrested, charged with fraud and identity theft

HARTFORD, Conn. – A Norwalk man is the target of a 27-count indictment, David B. Fein, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced Wednesday.

Emmet Bradley, 57, of Norwalk and Ocoee, Fla. is accused of health care fraud and identity theft offenses, Fein said. The indictment alleges that Bradley, a certified alcohol and drug abuse counselor, billed the state of Connecticut for services he did not give, Fein said. Bradley wasn’t even in Connecticut for much of the time he claimed to be counseling people here, Fein said.

Bradley obtained the Medicaid identification numbers of various Medicaid clients and used the identification numbers to submit hundreds of claims to Connecticut’s Department of Social Services, Fein said. Bradley billed for 75- to 80-minute individual psychotherapy sessions to these clients at his office in Norwalk, but was actually living and attending school in Florida for many of them, Fein said. Hundreds of these counseling sessions did not occur, he said.

Bradley was arrested in Florida on May 17. He has been detained since Nov. 29, after U.S. Magistrate Judge Holly B. Fitzsimmons found that he had violated certain conditions of his pretrial release, Fein said.

The indictment charges Bradley with 12 counts of health care fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years on each count, and 12 counts of making false statements relating to health care matters, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years on each count, Fein said. Bradley is also charged with three counts of aggravated identity theft, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of two years, which must run consecutively to any sentence imposed on any other count of conviction.

U.S. Attorney Fein stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

The Connecticut Medicaid program is a joint federal-state program designed primarily to finance the provision of medical services to the indigent. It is administered in Connecticut by DSS, and is also supervised by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service.

This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Fein also acknowledged the substantial assistance provided by Connecticut’s Department of Social Services, the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Chief State’s Attorney’s Office and the Norwalk Police Department.

This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Michael Ahearn.

Fein encouraged individuals who suspect health care fraud to report it by calling the Health Care Fraud Task Force at 203-777-6311 or 1-800-HHS-TIPS.