Manhattan Psychiatrist Pleads Guilty To Overbilling Taxpayers For $60,000

Attorney General Spitzer today announced that a Washington Heights psychiatrist has admitted to stealing $60,000 from taxpayers by inflating the amount of time she spent treating Medicaid patients.

Appearing today before Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Herbert J. Adlerberg, Dr. Ileana Redondo pleaded guilty to Grand Larceny in the Second Degree. Dr. Rodondo also agreed to pay $60,000 in restitution. Sentencing was set for November 29.

During 1997 and 1998, Dr. Rodondo submitted nearly 1,000 false reimbursement claims stating that she had provided psychotherapy sessions to Medicaid recipients of much longer duration than actually provided.

Spitzer said, "This investigation and prosecution by my Medicaid Fraud Control Unit drives home our message to doctors: If you are stealing from State taxpayers, we will find you and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law."

According to Deputy Attorney General Jos? Maldonado, Director of Spitzer's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, "Our investigation revealed that, in one instance, the defendant opened her office at 9:56 a.m. and closed it at 12:44 p.m. Yet, she billed the Medicaid program for seeing 14 patients that day, claiming to have spent an average of 40 minutes with each one."

Dr. Rodondo, 68, lives at 2421 Rosette Street in Fort Lee, New Jersey. Her office was located at 427 Fort Washington Avenue in Manhattan. Medicaid payments to Dr. Rodondo totaled $53,754 in 1997 and $34,776 in 1998.

Spitzer noted that his office has referred the case to the State Health Department's Office of Professional Medical Conduct for review of Dr. Rodondo's medical license.

The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant Attorney General Michael R. Berlowitz, of the New York City Regional Office of the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. All cases are handled under the direct supervision of Deputy Attorney General Jos? Maldonado.