Massachusetts Woman Charged With 46 Counts of Insurance Fraud

A Rockland, Mass., woman has been indicted in connection with a scheme to fraudulently collect insurance payments of more than $28,000.

The Massachusetts attorney general’s office announced last Friday that Olga O’Connor Rich, 41, has been charged with motor vehicle insurance fraud (46 counts), larceny over $250 (4 counts) and attempted larceny (3 counts).

“We allege that the defendant submitted fraudulent bills to insurance companies to collect for treatment that was never provided,” Attorney General Martha Coakley said. “Insurance fraud leads to higher premiums and puts a greater burden on consumers through no fault of their own.”

Rich was the sole owner of South Coastal Physical Therapy, located in Brockton, Mass., from 2001 through 2009. According to authorities, Rich used her position at the company to submit fraudulent physical therapy bills to several automobile insurance carriers.

These “supplemental bills” were allegedly sent months or years after the initial billings were sent to the insurers for purported treatment that was never rendered.

According to authorities, Rich continued to submit the supplemental bills to insurers even after her company closed and ceased all operations in December 2009. Authorities allege that Rich continued to make calls to insurers seeking reimbursement as recent as August 2011.

Further investigation revealed that as a result of the alleged scheme, Rich submitted fraudulent bills totaling nearly $60,000 to insurance companies and received payments of more than $28,000 between August 2007 and August 2011.

“This indictment is the culmination of a lengthy investigation by several agencies who work together to eliminate insurance fraud in Massachusetts, including the Insurance Fraud Bureau of Massachusetts, the State Police, and the Attorney General’s office,” said Daniel Johnston, executive director of the Insurance Fraud Bureau. “Taking fraud out of the system reduces insurance rates for all honest citizens.”