Camden Shoe Store Charged With Medicaid Fraud
By David Madden
CAMDEN, N.J. (CBS) - A Camden shoe store is facing charges of Medicaid fraud.
An investigation by the New Jersey State Comptroller found that Shapiro's Shoes billed Medicaid for over 300 pairs of orthopedic footwear, but gave its customers sneakers.
"I do not wear orthopedic shoes. I can't go into this store say 'I want to buy a pair of shoes' because it's not a shoe store. They don't have shoes," says Paul Melletz, an attorney for the store.
He insists his client deals only in prescription footwear.
Melletz says the prescriptions are sent out to manufacturers directly. Nonetheless, the Comptroller is seeking to recover some $2.5 million in costs and fines from the store.
The state Attorney General is also looking into the case for possible criminal prosecution.
