New York Woman Pleads Guilty to COVID-19 Vaccine Card Fraud Scheme
Summary
A press release of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York dated Monday, June 17, 2024, announcing that Kathleen Breault pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Rachel P. Kovner to conspiring to defraud the United States by destroying over 2,600 COVID-19 vaccines and issuing a corresponding number of fraudulent vaccination record cards. According to court documents cited in the release, she was a midwife at Sage-Femme Midwifery PLLC, an authorized COVID-19 vaccine administration site in Albany, New York. It states that she provided vaccination record cards to individuals who were not vaccinated, including minors who were then ineligible and Canadian citizens who were not present in the United States. The plea was announced by United States Attorney Breon Peace and Justice Department and FBI officials.
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Press Release New York Woman Pleads Guilty to COVID-19 Vaccine Card Fraud Scheme Monday, June 17, 2024 For Immediate Release U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of New York BROOKLYN, NY – Kathleen Breault pleaded guilty today to conspiring to defraud the United States by fraudulently destroying over 2,600 COVID-19 vaccines and issuing a corresponding number of fraudulent COVID-19 vaccination record cards. The proceeding was held before United States District Judge Rachel P. Kovner. United States Attorney Breon Peace of the Eastern District of New York, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and James Smith, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the guilty plea. According to court documents, Kathleen Breault, a midwife at Sage-Femme Midwifery PLLC (Sage-Femme), an authorized COVID-19 vaccine administration site in Albany, New York, conspired to obstruct the government’s distribution of COVID-19 vaccines by providing COVID-19 vaccination record cards to individuals who were not vaccinated, including to minors who were at the time ineligible to be vaccinated and Canadian citizens who were not present in the United States when they were purportedly vaccinated. In addition to destroying COVID-19 vaccines and issuing fraudulent vaccination record cards, Breault and her co-conspirators made over 2,600 false entries into a New York State database that tracked COVID-19 vaccine distribution. Breault agreed to repay more than $37,000 in restitution for the destroyed vaccines. Breault pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the United States and its departments and agencies. When sentenced, Breault faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. The FBI is investigating the case. The New York State Department of Health assisted with the investigation. Trial Attorneys Patrick J. Campbell and Hyungjoo Han of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case. The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,400 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $27 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit . The Defendant: KATHLEEN BREAULT Age: 66 Cambridge, New York E.D.N.Y. Docket No.: 23-CR-158 (RPK) Contact John Marzulli Danielle Blustein Hass United States Attorney's Office (718) 254-6323 Updated June 17, 2024 Topic Coronavirus Component USAO - New York, Eastern Related Content Press Release Pharmacy Owners Sentenced for $18M COVID-19 Health Care Fraud and Money Laundering Scheme Today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Peter Khaim was sentenced by United States District Judge Ann M. Donnelly to 97 months in prison for using New York-area pharmacies to submit... June 24, 2024 Press Release Former Vice President and Branch Manager of Popular Bank Convicted of Fraud and Money Laundering Charges Anuli Okeke, the former vice president and manager of a New York branch of Popular Bank was convicted yesterday afternoon by a federal jury in Brooklyn of all four counts... June 19, 2024 Press Release Long Island Woman Indicted for $3.28 Million Paycheck Protection Program Fraud Scheme “As alleged, the defendant made a business out of defrauding the government by falsely claiming that she and others needed government loan benefits to pay their employees during the pandemic... May 23, 2024
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