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July 20, 2021

Branford doctor gets 2 years in jail for health fraud conviction

PHOTO | Pixabay.com
By Liese Klein

A Branford doctor who ran a mental health and social services agency was sentenced to two years in federal prison after pleading guilty to filing fraudulent claims to the state’s Medicaid program, the U.S. Attorney announced Monday.

Dr. Wali Muhammad, 46, ran an agency called Happy Family Clinical Services that operated in Branford, East Haven and New Haven. From 2013 to 2019, Muhammad submitted fraudulent claims to Medicaid for psychotherapy services, although no services were provided, investigators found.

Muhammad also submitted claims that said services were being provided by licensed health care providers who had neither provided the services nor were aware their names and identities were being used. 

Muhammad's attorney had asked the judge for a sentence without jail time, citing his previously clean record and remorse for his actions. 

“This offense is a painful aberration for Mr. Muhammad, but it is one for which he immediately accepted responsibility and for which he is determined to atone, including making full restitution,” said attorney Tamar R. Birckhead, of Parrett, Porto, Parese & Colwell in Hamden, in a pre-sentencing memorandum. 

Muhammad pleaded guilty to one count of health care fraud on March 11.

District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford sentenced Muhammad to 24 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release. He must also pay $527,034 in restitution to Medicaid.

Contact Liese Klein at lklein@newhavenbiz.com.

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