A dentist and his practice in New York were arraigned on 40 crimes for allegedly billing Medicaid for hundreds of invasive dental procedures that patients never received, according to the New York Attorney General.
Dr. Suleman Nasimi and his practice, Tooth Fresh Meadows, were arraigned on two separate 40-count felony complaints. The clinician and practice were charged with one count of grand larceny, two counts of healthcare fraud in the second degree, two counts of healthcare fraud in the third degree, and 35 counts of offering a false instrument for filing, according to a press release dated September 28 from the state attorney general.
Nasimi, 46, of Hicksville, NY, faces a maximum sentence of five to 15 years in state prison if convicted of the grand larceny charge.
Between January 2020 and August 2024, Nasimi allegedly submitted false claims to Medicaid for hundreds of procedures, including root canals and porcelain crown installations, that patients never received. Nasimi is accused of submitting these false claims worth about $300,000 for about 35 patients.
About $140,000 of the claims that Nasimi purportedly submitted were sent while the dental office was closed and Nasimi was on vacation in England, France, and Greece, according to the press release.
Authorities claim that Nasimi collected more than $300,000 in Medicaid reimbursements.
Due to Nasimi's alleged actions, several of Nasimi’s patients were not eligible to get the treatment they needed because Medicaid records reflected that they had already received the procedures that he billed for but never performed, according to the press release.
“Fraudsters who steal from Medicaid with fake billing schemes put vulnerable New Yorkers at risk by making it harder for them to get the care they need,” New York Attorney General Letitia James said in the press release.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
