Maria Tavera, 53, of Cherry Hill, was the administrator of Nueva Vida Behavioral Health Center in Camden, New Jersey while she embezzled over $40,000 from the organization. She admitted her use of funds for personal expenses on June 9, before US District Judge Noel L. Hillman.
The nonprofit works to help provide mental health care to Camden residents, most of whom are recipients of Medicaid. Tavera used the company debit card to pay for personal wants such as clothes and items from the guitar and hardware store. She also used it for dental care and to regularly withdraw cash.
Cesar Tavera, husband to Maria, was the Executive Director of Nueva Vida. He was also indicted and in May plead guilty to embezzling over $1.5 million. He committed Medicaid fraud in order to spend it frivolously on food, traveling and gambling.
The Tavera’s falsified records to Medicaid, billing them for therapists that never existed, and therapy sessions that never happened. Meanwhile, they often had their patients seen by unlicensed and unqualified personnel. Cesar Taveras himself had even been treating the patients at one point, all while sending the bills over to Medicaid.
She is scheduled for sentencing on September 15, the maximum charge could carry a 10 year prison sentence with a $250,000 fine.
Tags: Camden County, Embezzling
Here is the link to the Indictment
https://www.justice.gov/usao-nj/press-release/file/966101/download
