Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced the guilty plea of Suhail Aponte, aged 38, from Wethersfield. Aponte admitted her involvement in a scheme that defrauded Connecticut’s Medicaid Program of over $1.8 million. She waived her right to be indicted and entered her plea before U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport.
The case revolves around the Connecticut Medical Assistance Program (CTMAP), which is managed by the Connecticut Department of Social Services and assists low-income individuals. This program, commonly known as "HUSKY" or "Connecticut Medicaid," receives joint funding from the State of Connecticut and the federal government.
According to court records, Aponte was the sole principal and registered agent of Minds Cornerstone LLC, operating as Minds Cornerstone Behavior Therapy Services. The company was set up as an Autism Specialist Group and registered in June 2021. Beginning around November 2021, Aponte, who is not a licensed provider, was implicated in a scheme involving fraudulent Medicaid claims for services purportedly delivered to children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. The claims included billing for services not rendered and inaccurately billed, resulting in Medicaid losses.
The fraudulent claims submitted between November 2021 and January 2025 caused an estimated $1,876,617 in losses to the Connecticut Department of Social Services. During this period, from May 2022 to November 2024, Aponte was also employed by the State of Connecticut in the Office of Policy and Management.
Aponte pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, which is punishable by up to ten years in prison. She has agreed to forfeit about $459,000 seized from bank accounts under her control, alongside her interests in other accounts and two parcels of land in Hartford. Her sentencing is set for July 30, and she has been released on a $100,000 bond since her arrest on January 16, 2025.
The investigation is being conducted by the FBI, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General, and the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Connecticut Chief State’s Attorney’s Office, with assistance from the Connecticut Department of Social Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney David T. Huang is prosecuting the case.