November 4, 2011
Ocean County Social Worker Sentenced for Stealing Money from Insurance Companies for Services Not Rendered
TRENTON – Attorney General Paula T. Dow and Acting Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Ronald Chillemi announced that an Ocean County social worker was sentenced today for fraudulently billing insurance companies for services not rendered.
According to Acting Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Chillemi, Mary F. Rizzuto, 51, of Toms River, a licensed clinical social worker, was sentenced to five years of probation conditioned upon serving 90 days in county jail by Superior Court Judge Wendel E. Daniels in Ocean County. Daniels also ordered Rizzuto to pay $76,304 in restitution. The sentence was based on Rizzuto’s guilty plea to an accusation charging her with third-degree theft by deception. Rizzuto also faces disciplinary proceedings before the New Jersey Board of Social Work Examiners concerning her professional license.
In pleading guilty on Sept. 12, Rizzuto admitted that between Jan. 3, 2003 and Nov. 22, 2008, she fraudulently obtained money from Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey and Guardian Life Insurance Company by submitting claims for professional services purportedly provided to insured individuals. However, Rizzuto had not provided the services and was, therefore, not entitled to compensation.
The investigation began after one of Rizzuto’s former clients received an Explanation of Benefits document from his health care insurance company indicating that Rizzuto had submitted claims for payment for more than twenty counseling sessions that had not taken place.
Detective Natalie Brotherston and Deputy Attorney General Geraldine D. Zidow were assigned to the investigation. Zidow represented the Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor at the sentencing. Acting Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Chillemi thanked Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey and Guardian Life Insurance Company for their assistance in the investigation.
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