Towanda speech pathologist charged with $365K fraud

BY THE REVIEW)
Published: August 20, 2010

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Peter Anthony Ferrulli, who owns and operates Spectrum Therapeutic Services Inc. in Wysox, faces fraud charges after he billed the Medical Assistance program at least $365,602 for services that were never provided to patients, according to the state Attorney General's Office.

Ferrulli, a speech pathologist, admitted to investigators from the Attorney General's Office that he submitted false claims to the Medical Assistance program for "pretty much all Medical Assistance clients," according to a criminal complaint that was filed by the Attorney General's Office Thursday at Wysox District Court.

Ferrulli, 40, also admitted to the investigators that there were times when he double billed the Medical Assistance program after his business had already submitted a bill to a private insurance company, according to the complaint.

Ferrulli also admitted that he had used the money that he fraudulently obtained to buy jewelry, cars, motorcycles, four-wheelers, snowmobiles, and to take "a couple of vacations," the complaint states.

The fraud occurred between January 2005 and June 2010, according to the Attorney General's Office.

Ferrulli, a Towanda resident, has been charged with 115 counts of the third-degree misdemeanor of Medicaid fraud, the complaint states.

Ferrulli was also charged with one count of third-degree felony of theft by deception.

Ferrulli was arraigned on Thursday by Wysox Magisterial District Judge Fred Wheaton, who ordered the defendant incarcerated in the Bradford County jail in lieu of $200,000 bail.

The Attorney General's Office said it had documented that Ferrulli submitted at least $365,602 in claims to the Medical Assistance program for services that were not provided to patients.

When investigators with the Attorney General's Office asked Ferrulli how much money he fraudulently obtained through the Medical Assistance program, he replied "probably over a million," according to the criminal complaint.

Between Jan. 4, 2005 and June 6, 2010, Ferrulli submitted claims to the Medical Assistance program for services that were not provided to 57 Medical Assistance recipients, according to the criminal complaint.

The phone number of The Daily Review's newsroom is (570) 265-1632; the newsroom's email address is reviewnews@thedailyreview.com

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