Fla. dentist, husband accused of $1.5M in Medicaid fraud

A dentist and her husband who own and operate a string of dental practices in Florida have been arrested and accused of committing $1.5 million in Medicaid fraud, according to the State of Florida Office of the Attorney General.

Dr. Marianna Zadov and Shimon Leizgold are charged with one count each of violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act (RICO), conspiracy to commit RICO, grand theft, and Medicaid fraud, according to a press release dated November 3 from the attorney general’s office.

For several years, Zadov and her husband, also known as Simon Leizgold, allegedly engaged in a complex scheme in which they charged patients for services covered by Medicaid and then stole from the program itself. The couple operates Happy Smiles in Port St. Lucie and Fort Myers; Elite Dental in Jupiter; Polo Dental in Boca Raton, Naples, and West Palm Beach; and Royal Dental in Boynton Beach, according to the release.

The pair reportedly collected fees from Medicaid recipients for covered services, collected fees higher than authorized copayments, and collected funds from Medicaid for services that were never completed. The investigation identified more than $1.5 million in fraud encompassing more than 5,000 Medicaid recipients, according to the release.