A dentist in Connecticut was ordered to pay $1.7 million for engaging in a long-term, extensive scheme of creating fake patient records for dental work he never completed to defraud the state's Medicaid program.
Aram Agadjanian, DDS, also known as Aram Yuri Agadzanov, was found guilty of violating the Connecticut False Claims Act and ordered to pay the sum on December 13 following a seven-day trial in Connecticut Superior Court, according to the state's Office of the Attorney General.
"This is a particularly disturbing example of an individual found to have violated the trust of his patients and our public health coverage program," said Deidre Gifford, MD, the commissioner of the state's department of social services.
The court ordered Dr. Agadjanian to pay treble damages, which are triple the amount of actual damages, along with a civil penalty of $1.5 million. The court ordered maximum penalties due to the dentist failing to provide necessary dental services to patients who were entitled to receive them, victimizing a vulnerable population, including those with disabilities, and failing to accept responsibility for his actions.
The court found that from May 2014 to May 2015, Dr. Agadjanian knowingly presented numerous false claims for payment for dental work that was never provided to state Medicaid patients. He created fake records so that he could receive payments for the claims.
Between May 2009 and May 2015, Dr. Agadjanian was enrolled as a dental provider in the Connecticut Medical Assistance Program, which includes the state's Medicaid program. His provider agreement has since been terminated.
"This favorable ruling in the Office of the Attorney sends a clear message that bad actors who victimize our Medicaid members will be held accountable," said Connecticut Attorney General William Tong.
