Mass. dentist cops to embezzling $1.2M

A dentist and bookkeeper at a dental practice pleaded guilty to mail and wire fraud for his role in embezzling $1.2 million from his employer and defrauding a U.S. relief fund, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts.

Dr. Jack Massarsky, 65, who faces up to 20 years in prison for each charge, is scheduled to be sentenced in May, according to a press release dated January 25.

Between 2015 and 2021, Massarsky worked as a dentist and bookkeeper for a general dentistry practice in Hyannis. In 2015, Massarsky reportedly opened a secret bank account in the name of the practice, intercepted insurance reimbursement checks sent to the practice in the mail, and deposited the funds in the secret account. He purportedly embezzled more than $1.2 million, which he used to finance personal and family expenses, according to the release.

In July 2020, Massarsky reportedly used the dental practice's name to submit a fraudulent application to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Health Resources and Services Administration Provider Relief Fund, which provided economic assistance to qualifying healthcare providers, including dental practices, during the COVID-19 pandemic. The fake application allowed Massarsky to obtain more than $52,000, which he allegedly deposited into his covert bank account, according to the release.