The former bookkeeper for Haven Health Care has pleaded guilty to embezzling thousands of dollars from nursing home resident trust fund accounts.
From 2005 to 2008, Serena Sylvia, 42, of Waterford, took more than $53,000 from nursing home resident trust fund accounts at Haven Health Center of Jewett City, Haven Health Center of Norwich, Haven Health Center of Waterford, and Haven Health Center of Soundview in West Haven, according to court documents.
Sylvia worked as a Regional Accounts Receivable Manager for Haven Health Care Management, LLC at the time.
She pleaded guilty on Friday to one count of health care fraud and one count of filing a false income tax return, according to United States Attorney David Fein.
These charges came about from a larger investigation into fraud at Haven Healthcare, a chain of nursing homes formerly headquartered in Middletown, Fein said.
That investigation has resulted in convictions of Raymond Termini, the former CEO of Haven Healthcare; Fred Dalicandro, the former Director of Cash Management of Haven Healthcare, and Kimberly Boccacio, the former administrator of Haven Health Center of Jewett City.
Sylvia is scheduled to be sentenced on March 28. She could face a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a fine of up to $250,000 on the health care fraud count and a maximum term of imprisonment of three years and a fine of up to $100,000 on the false tax return count.
Anyone who suspects health care fraud is asked to report it by calling the Health Care Fraud Task Force at (203) 785-9270 or 1-800-HHS-TIPS.
