U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery | U.S. Department of Justice
Vanessa Roberts Avery, the United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, along with Connecticut Attorney General William Tong, announced a civil settlement agreement involving Lakshmi Bethi, DMD, and her former businesses. The entities involved are New Haven Dental LLC, New Haven Family Dental LLC, and New Haven Family Dental Group LLC. These parties have agreed to pay $608,296.39 to resolve allegations of violating federal and state False Claims Acts.
Dr. Bethi is licensed in Connecticut and was enrolled as a dental provider under the Connecticut Medical Assistance Program (CTMAP), which includes Medicaid services in the state. Allegations suggest that Bethi and her practices violated their CTMAP provider agreements and the federal Anti-Kickback Statute by submitting claims related to services provided to Medicaid patients referred by a third-party recruiting company.
The accusations detail that Bethi paid a recruiter $110 for each patient referred when services exceeded routine care like cleanings and exams. These claims implied certification of compliance with payment conditions, including not paying kickbacks or breaching terms outlined in the Connecticut Dental Health Partnership (CTDHP) provider manual.
To address these allegations under both federal and state False Claims Acts, Bethi's businesses agreed to reimburse Medicaid for activities between January 1, 2019, through April 6, 2023.
In connection with this case, Dr. Bethi pleaded guilty in a related federal criminal case for conspiracy to violate the anti-kickback statute. She admitted to paying over $360,000 in kickbacks from 2016 to 2023. For this conduct, she was sentenced on December 18, 2024, in New Haven federal court to two years of probation and ordered to forfeit $500,000.
This investigation is part of broader efforts examining fraudulent actions by healthcare providers who submit false claims influenced by kickbacks within CTMAP services provided via third-party referrals.
The investigation was led by multiple agencies: Federal Bureau of Investigation; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General; Connecticut Attorney General’s Office; and Connecticut Department of Social Services. Legal proceedings were managed by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anne Thidemann and Elena Coronado alongside Assistant Attorney General Joshua L. Jackson from the Connecticut Office of the Attorney General.
Individuals suspecting healthcare fraud are urged to report it at 1-800-HHS-TIPS.
