3 plead guilty in large conspiracy to defraud Pennsylvania Medicaid

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Three more people pleaded guilty in an extensive conspiracy to defraud Pennsylvania's Medicaid program out of millions of dollars, prosecutors announced Friday. 

Arlinda Moriarty from Cranberry, her sister Daynelle Dickens and their uncle Tony Brown, both from Pittsburgh, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and health care fraud. Moriarty also pleaded guilty to engaging in a scheme to conceal material facts and aggravated identity theft.

Prosecutors said they were the last three of 15 defendants to plead in connection with the conspiracy. 

Prosecutors said Moriarity controlled four entities: Moriarty Consultants, where Brown worked; Coordination Care, which Dickens owned; Activity Daily Living Services; and Everyday People Staffing, which handled back-office functions for the rest. 

Prosecutors said from 2011 to 2017, the businesses received more than $87 million in Medicaid payments based on claims submitted for home health services, but prosecutors said Moriarty admitted to orchestrating a wide-ranging conspiracy to submit fraudulent claims for services never provided. 

Moriarty, Dickens and Brown also agreed to pay restitution of $8.7 million, $1 million and about $43,000 respectively.