Dead sister’s company turned into $3.4M Medicaid fraud machine, officials say

🔴 New Jersey man charged with $3.4M Medicaid fraud scheme

🔴 Prosecutors say he filed over 34,000 bogus claims

🔴 Vicente Lopez also owes nearly $100,000 in taxes to New Jersey, officials say

EAST ORANGE — A North Jersey man is accused of taking control of his dead sister's company and using it to ransack the Medicaid program, according to authorities.

Vicente Lopez, 63, was indicted by a New Jersey grand jury on nine offenses earlier this month.

He is charged with second-degree healthcare claims fraud, second-degree theft by deception, third-degree Medicaid fraud, three counts of third-degree failure to pay tax, and three counts of third-degree filing a fraudulent tax return.

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Lopez took control of his sister's company after she died in 2021. He posted Facebook videos in May 2021 announcing that he was the chief executive officer.

Lopez used his position as CEO to make $3.4 million through filing fraudulent Medicaid claims, according to the Attorney General's Office.

Fake Medicaid claims and bogus psychiatric services

The company, Joyce Lopez & Associates, once served Medicaid beneficiaries, authorities said. It provided psychological counseling services.

Online, the company's social media pages went by "Your Life Change."

However, it was not an approved Medicaid provider after Lopez took control.

Despite this, authorities said Lopez had his employees file more than 34,000 separate Medicaid claims.

The workers were told to bill under the name of a psychiatrist, identified as T.F., without that person's knowledge.

According to authorities, T.F. never provided services to any patients at the company.

Lopez also billed Medicaid for no-shows and canceled appointments, authorities said.

Tax fraud adds to mounting charges

Officials also said Lopez didn't pay his taxes in 2021, 2022, or 2023. He eventually filed them after being contacted by the state, but did not disclose his income.

Between civil fraud penalties and interest, Lopez still owes $99,709 in taxes to New Jersey.

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