ROCKY HILL, Conn. — Two women have been arrested in Connecticut for allegedly running a scheme that defrauded the state’s Medicaid program and endangered patients.
The Connecticut Department of Criminal Justice announced that Karen Wurst, 71, of Raleigh, N.C., and Suzean Langan, 48, of Manchester, Conn., were charged with multiple felonies involving identity theft, health insurance fraud, and violations of nursing licensing requirements.
Wurst owned NurseSpan, LLC, a West Hartford-based nursing staffing agency. Prosecutors allege that she and Langan conspired to misrepresent nursing credentials, putting patients at serious risk. Between June 2022 and March 2023, Langan impersonated a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) at 18 facilities despite having no nursing training, education, or license.
Authorities say Langan administered medications, treated medically complex patients, and updated medical records. In one instance, she performed a gastronomy tube procedure on a Medicaid patient, which resulted in choking, vomiting, loss of consciousness, and aspiration pneumonia.
Prosecutors allege that Wurst billed facilities approximately $133,682 for services that were not legally authorized.
Charges for Wurst include health insurance fraud, conspiracy to commit health insurance fraud, first-degree larceny by defrauding a public community, identity theft, and multiple violations of licensing requirements. She was released on a $75,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in Hartford Superior Court on Feb. 18, 2026.
Charges for Langan include first-degree assault of a disabled person, health insurance fraud, identity theft, larceny by defrauding a public community, and multiple violations of licensing requirements. She was released on two $50,000 bonds and is scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 23, 2026.
Prosecutors emphasized that the charges are allegations and must be proven in court. If convicted, the women could face up to 20 years in prison for Class B felonies, with certain charges carrying mandatory minimums, and up to five years for D-felony licensing violations.
The investigation was conducted by the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit with assistance from the State Department of Developmental Services and the Newington Police Department.
