TRENTON
- Attorney General Anne Milgram and Criminal
Justice Director Gregory A. Paw announced
that a state employee and his wife were
charged today with stealing $1,100 in state
health benefits by misrepresenting their
marital status.
According
to Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Greta Gooden
Brown, Edward Baggett, 37, Westampton, formerly
employed by the state Division of Youth
and Family Services, and Margo Rhett, 41,
also of Westampton, were indicted by a Burlington
County grand jury on charges of second-degree
health care claims fraud, third-degree theft
by deception, and fourth-degree falsifying
records. The indictment was voted last week
but handed up in court today.
The
indictment alleges that between Aug. 11,
2003 and April 2, 2004, Baggett, who was
an employee of the State of New Jersey,
falsely represented that he was married
to Margo Rhett so that she and her children
could obtain health insurance coverage pursuant
to the State Health Benefits Plan. Baggett,
in fact, was not officially married to Rhett
at the time. Rhett, and her children as
dependants of Baggett, would have been entitled
to health insurance coverage pursuant to
the State Health Benefits Plan had they
been officially married. The indictment
alleges that both Baggett and Rhett falsified
various official state records indicating
that they were husband and wife. Baggett
and Rhett were subsequently married. As
a result of the alleged fraud, the State
Health Benefits Plan allegedly paid $1,100
for medical claims and prescription claims.
State
Investigators Natalie Brotherston and Kristi
Procaccino and Deputy Attorney General Michael
V. Troso were assigned to the investigation.
Troso presented the case to the Burlington
County grand jury.
The indictment is merely an accusation and
the defendants are presumed innocent until
proven guilty.
Second-degree
crimes carry a sentence of up to 10 years
in state prison and a fine of up to $150,000,
while third-degree crimes carry a sentence
of up to five years in prison and a fine
of up to $15,000. Fourth-degree crimes carry
a maximum sentence of 18 months in prison
and a fine of $10,000.
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