South Carolina Woman Pleads Guilty to Making Fraudulent Statements to Medicaid in Connection with the Delivery of Autism Spectrum Disorder Services

Nina Bourret, 41, of Greenville, South Carolina pleaded guilty in federal court to making false and fraudulent statements on claims submitted to Medicaid. 

Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Bourret was an owner of Agapi Behavior Consultants, Inc., which provided Applied Behavior Analysis therapy to treat Autism Spectrum Disorder.  From February 2021 to December 2022, Bourret submitted electronic claims to Medicaid on behalf of Agapi falsely and fraudulently certifying that services had been rendered and/or certifying that services had been rendered in excess of what was actually provided to the beneficiary.

The investigation has revealed Bourret and Agapi submitted claims to Medicaid that contained false and fraudulent statements in excess of $900,000.00.

Bourret faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison. She also faces a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, and 3 years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment.  Senior United States District Judge Henry Michael Herlong, Jr. accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Bourret after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Health and Human Services – Office of the Inspector General, and the South Carolina Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Bower is prosecuting the case.