NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) — Dentist Lakshmi Bethi and her former dental practices have agreed to pay more than $600,000 to resolve allegations of violating both federal and state False Claims Acts, U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery announced on Tuesday.
Bethi, along with her businesses New Haven Dental LLC, New Haven Family Dental LLC, and New Haven Family Dental Group LLC, will reimburse the Connecticut Medical Assistance Program (CTMAP) a total of $608,296.39 for improper claims filed between January 1, 2019, and April 6, 2023.
Bethi’s practices were part of Connecticut’s Medicaid program, and she and her businesses allegedly submitted claims for dental services provided to Medicaid patients referred by a third-party “patient recruiting” company. The recruiter was reportedly paid $110 for each patient who received non-routine care, a practice that violated the CTMAP guidelines.
Each claim submitted falsely implied that the conditions for payment were met, including the prohibition against kickbacks as outlined in the Connecticut Dental Health Partnership (CTDHP) provider manual.
In addition to the settlement, Bethi pleaded guilty in a related federal criminal case to conspiracy to violate the federal anti-kickback statute. Over seven years, she admitted to paying more than $360,000 in kickbacks to recruiters. In December 2024, she was sentenced to two years of probation in New Haven federal court and ordered to forfeit $500,000.