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May 23, 2024

Former medical office manager pleads guilty to defrauding New York State Health Insurance Plan

On May 20, 2024, New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli and Ulster County District Attorney Emmanuel C. Nneji announced that Gina Bradshaw, an office manager for numerous doctors’ offices in Manhattan, has pleaded guilty to defrauding the New York State Insurance Plan (NYSHIP) out of more than $12,000 by submitting phony medical claims for reimbursement. She was arrested in September 2023 following a joint investigation by Comptroller DiNapoli, the Ulster County District Attorney ’s office, the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) – Hudson Valley White Collar Crime Task Force, and the New York State Police.

“Ms. Bradshaw thought she could game New York State’s employee benefit system by submitting fake claims for reimbursement for personal gain,” said State Comptroller DiNapoli. “Thanks to my partnerships with District Attorney Nneji, the FBI, and the State Police, her scheme was exposed and she has been held accountable.”

Ulster County District Attorney Emmanuel C. Nneji said, “The collaboration among the various agencies that are part of the Hudson Valley White Collar Crime Task Force, as well as between our Office and the New York State Office of the Comptroller, is essential to the detection and prosecution of fraud against New York and Ulster County taxpayers. I thank all the investigators from across the state whose dedicated service led to accountability for the defendant in this case.”

New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James said, “This guilty plea is a direct result of the cooperative and interactive efforts of the many agencies involved in this investigation. Ms. Bradshaw knowingly took advantage of the health insurance system to profit at her own expense. Financial crimes of any kind will not be tolerated in New York State. I thank the Comptroller’s Office, Ulster County District Attorney’s Office, FBI and Hudson Valley White Collar Crime Task Force for their partnership in exposing this fraud.”

Gina Bradshaw, 50, of Maybrook, N.Y., worked as an office manager for multiple doctors in Manhattan. Through her husband’s employment with New York state, her family was enrolled in NYSHIP. When a NYSHIP member uses an out-of-network health care provider they can have a portion of the medical costs they paid to a provider reimbursed by a check from NYSHIP sent directly to them. In order to obtain unwarranted payments, Bradshaw used her positions to submit false claims to NYSHIP, purporting that services were provided to her by two medical offices where she worked although they never occurred. She received over $12,000  in reimbursement checks through her scheme.

The investigation into her activities began with a complaint from United Healthcare Special Investigations Unit, who assisted with the investigation.

Bradshaw pleaded guilty to Health Care Fraud in the third degree. 

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Since taking office in 2007, DiNapoli has committed to fighting public corruption and encourages the public to help fight fraud and abuse. New Yorkers can report allegations of fraud involving taxpayer money by calling the toll-free Fraud Hotline at 1-888-672-4555, by filing a complaint online at investigations@osc.ny.gov, or by mailing a complaint to: Office of the State Comptroller, Division of Investigations, 8th Floor, 110 State St., Albany, NY 12236.

 

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