4 home health care workers charged in multimillion dollar Medicaid scheme

PITTSBURGH — Four home health care workers have been charged with conning the state out of millions of Medicaid dollars.

The feds raided Moriarty Consultants, a home health care company on Perrysville Avenue in Observatory Hill, in April 2017.

On Monday, more than a year later, the U.S. attorney unveiled charges against four employees, accusing them of health care fraud worth millions of dollars.

All of these people worked for Moriarty Consultants and three related companies;

Travis Moriarty, 37
Tiffhany Covington, 41
Autumn Brown, 31
Brenda Lowry Horton, 48

According to federal prosecutors, they worked together to submit fake claims, costing the state millions of dollars.

Moriarty consultants and three related entities provided cleaning, meal preparation, bathing, and transportation services for senior citizens.

According to the court documents, the employees allegedly fabricated time sheets, used ghost employees and paid kickbacks to consumers.

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The feds say the company received more than $87 million in Medicaid payments.

The feds say the four charged and other employees were directed by the owner of Moriarty consultants and others to fabricate documentation to conceal the fraud from auditors.

Last year, Channel 11's Rick Earle spoke to owner Arlinda Moriarty, who over the years received numerous awards and praise for her entrepreneurship.

At the time, she denied any wrongdoing. She has not been charged.

Each suspect faces a maximum total sentence of not more than 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both.

Arlinda Moriarty denies any wrongdoing and she said there are a handful of people who are trying to bring her down, but she's still open for business and working to fix any problems.

She said the four employees no longer work for her.