Nurses Plead Guilty to Separate Charges of Misprision of a Felony and Health Care Fraud

U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite announced that CAREN BATTAGLIA, age 50, of New Orleans, pled guilty today to one count of misprision of a felony.  SUPRENIA WASHINGTON, age 60, of New Orleans, also pled guilty to one count of health care fraud in.

On March 12, 2015, BATTAGLIA and WASHINGTON were indicted along with 19 other defendants in a 26-count indictment charging approximately $30,052,295 in Medicare fraud.

WASHINGTON was a Registered Nurse and BATTAGLIA a Licensed Practical Nurse at Abide Home Care Services, a home health company operated by owner Lisa Crinel. BATTAGLIA’s and WASHINGTON’s guilty pleas involved their alleged care for Medicare beneficiaries, falsification of documents and failure to notify officials of the ongoing health care fraud at Abide.

WASHINGTON faces a maximum term of imprisonment of ten years, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release following imprisonment.  BATTAGLIA faces a maximum term of imprisonment of three years, a $250,000 fine, and one year of supervised release following imprisonment. U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan set sentencing for both defendants on February 8, 2017.

U.S. Attorney Polite praised the work of the Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, in investigating this matter.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrice Harris Sullivan, Hayden Brockett, Maria Carboni, and Sharan Lieberman are in charge of the prosecution.