Richard Kaufman,
Patch Staff
STAMFORD, CT — Three individuals, including a Stamford woman and a Florida couple, have been arrested for their involvement in a scheme to defraud Medicaid out of more than $220,000, Connecticut authorities announced Wednesday.
According to the Connecticut Division of Criminal Justice, Elizabeth Aliaga, 43, of Stamford, along with Alejandro Hochstedler Stipo, 63, and his wife, Shelton Hochstedler, 68, both of West Palm Beach, Florida, face charges related to health insurance fraud. Hochstedler Stipo, a licensed professional counselor and owner of Stamford Clinical Services (SCS), also faces an additional charge of first-degree larceny for defrauding a public community.
The trio allegedly falsified billing claims submitted to Medicaid between 2019 and 2023, seeking reimbursement for behavioral health services that were either never rendered or performed by unlicensed individuals. As the owner of Stamford Clinical Services, Hochstedler Stipo was enrolled in the Connecticut Medical Assistance Program (CMAP) and was authorized to provide services only through licensed and CMAP-enrolled clinicians.
However, an investigation revealed that Aliaga, along with other unlicensed personnel under Hochstedler Stipo’s employment, provided care to Medicaid clients without proper licensing or supervision. Additionally, false claims were submitted for services that were never provided, and fabricated, backdated medical records were created to cover up the fraud.
The investigation found that Hochstedler Stipo and her co-defendants unlawfully received $220,792.31 from Medicaid for these fraudulent claims.
All three individuals have been released on $250,000 non-surety bonds. They are scheduled to appear in Stamford Superior Court on June 5.
This arrest highlights the ongoing efforts to combat Medicaid fraud, a federal and state program designed to provide health care services to vulnerable populations, including the elderly, disabled, and low-income individuals. The Connecticut Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, part of the Office of the Chief State’s Attorney, continues to investigate the case.
Anyone with additional information about the case is encouraged to contact authorities.