In an escalating case that continues to reveal layers of misconduct, Boston's Forest Hills Dental and its manager, Fritz Gabriel, have been hit with additional indictments over fraudulent activities including prescription fraud and credit card misuse. The new charges, unveiled yesterday, come on the heels of a string of earlier indictices asserting that Gabriel, who is not a licensed dentist, and the practice engaged in a litany of unscrupulous acts, involving some $245,000 in fraudulent Medicaid billings for procedures never performed.
As reported by the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office, Gabriel, 69, from Milton, has been indicted on one count of unlawful use of a registration number and one count of fraudulent use of a credit card. These additional charges, follow the May indictments for Medicaid fraud, larceny, assault and battery, and the unlicensed practice of dentistry. The AGO alleges that Gabriel issued prescriptions unlawfully, including controlled substances such as Percocet and Hydrocodone, and racked up over $6,000 in unauthorized purchases on a patient's credit card.
Meanwhile, the original May indictments involve false billing to MassHealth for dental services either not provided at all or undertaken illegally by Gabriel. According to an article by Hoodline, the grand jury detailed charges rooted in an incident where Gabriel’s treatment resulted in a patient suffering from an exposed root – a grave outcome of the alleged fraud. The AG's Office is framing these infractions as not just a misuse of state funds but as direct inflictions of harm upon patients of the dental practice.
The AGO is handling this case through the efforts of Assistant Attorneys General Sean Hildenbrandt, and Heidi Gosule, as well as Investigator Kathleen Tansey, with support from Inspector Yves Charles. The AGO's Medicaid Fraud Division, heavily backed by a financial commitment from both federal and state resources, seems determined to pursue accountability within the healthcare system, particularly where there is a breach of public trust. This case illuminates the significant investment both entities make in combating fraud within the Commonwealth’s healthcare service provision.
Tomorrow’s arraignment for Gabriel is slated for 9:00 am at the Magistrate’s Session of Suffolk County Superior Court. With all charges maintaining the status of allegations, Gabriel holds the presumption of innocence until proven otherwise. Nevertheless, the breadth of these proceedings continues to draw the public's gaze, as it underscores the vulnerabilities within healthcare systems meant to safeguard the wellbeing of Massachusetts' residents.
