CURRENT CITY EMPLOYEE AND FORMER CITY EMPLOYEE CHARGED WITH DEFRAUDING NEW YORK STATE MEDICAID PROGRAM

 

 Jocelyn E. Strauber, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation (“DOI”), announced the arrests today of Human Resources Administration (“HRA”) employee, NATALI TALOVIKOVA, 55, and former HRA employee, ROLAND TUBMAN, 47, on federal charges of agreeing to defraud, and defrauding, Medicaid by renewing benefits for ineligible individuals in exchange for payments. DOI worked on the investigation in partnership with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.

 DOI Commissioner Jocelyn E. Strauber said, “These HRA employee defendants, as alleged, were responsible for ensuring that Medicaid benefits were issued only to those individuals who were eligible to receive them. But instead of doing their jobs, as charged, they used their positions, access and knowledge to renew benefits for ineligible individuals and to obtain kickbacks. DOI thanks the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and the FBI for their collaboration on this investigation.”

 According to the Indictment and DOI’s investigation, between January 2009 and December 2017, TALOVIKOVA and TUBMAN defrauded Medicaid by conspiring to illegally renew Medicaid benefits for various ineligible individuals in exchange for payments from these individuals. Specifically, TUBMAN, who worked at HRA until March 2009, received payments from individuals in exchange for ensuring that their Medicaid benefits would be renewed. TALOVIKOVA, who was an HRA Eligibility Specialist at the time of the scheme, was responsible for reviewing Medicaid renewal forms and conducting Medicaid eligibility determinations. TALOVIKOVA renewed the individuals’ Medicaid benefits and shortly thereafter TUBMAN paid TALOVIKOVA for doing so.  TALOVIKOVA and TUBMAN, both of Brooklyn, are each charged with the federal felony offense of conspiring to use the facilities of interstate commerce in furtherance of unlawful activity and to receive bribes. Upon conviction, the offense is punishable by up to five years’ imprisonment.

 TALOVIKOVA has been an employee of HRA since October 2006, and receives an annual salary of approximately, $43,600. She was suspended upon her arrest today. TUBMAN worked for HRA as an Eligibility Specialist from September 2000 to March 2009, and at the time of his separation from HRA received an annual salary of approximately $36,745.

 Commissioner Strauber thanked U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Breon Peace and his staff for their prosecution of this matter, specifically Assistant United States Attorney Adam Toporovsky, from the General Crimes bureau. Commissioner Strauber also thanked Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s New York Office, Michael J. Driscoll, and his staff for their partnership on this investigation as well as City Department of Social Services (“DSS”) Commissioner Gary P. Jenkins and his staff for their cooperation in this investigation. DSS is comprised of the administrative units of HRA and the Department of Homeless Services (“DHS”).

 A criminal indictment is an accusation. Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.