Repeat Health Care Fraud Offender Sentenced for Defrauding New Hampshire Medicaid

CONCORD - A Florida man was sentenced today to one year and one day in prison for causing psychotherapy sessions to be fraudulently billed to New Hampshire Medicaid.

According to court documents, Erik X. Alonso, 55, of Miami, Florida, was convicted in 2015 of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and related offenses in the Southern District of Florida. The Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) maintains an Exclusion List that identifies individuals who cannot receive payment from federal health care programs, including Medicaid. As a result of his conviction, Alonso, a psychotherapist, was placed on the Exclusion List.

According to court documents, in March 2022, Alonso began working for a telehealth mental health provider based in New Hampshire, through which he provided services billed to New Hampshire Medicaid patients despite knowing he was on the Exclusion List. Alonso also caused the telehealth provider to submit claims to New Hampshire Medicaid for counseling services that were not provided as represented, including in instances in which Alonso requested - and later received - a patient's assistance with personal tasks. As a result of the scheme, Alonso admitted that he caused New Hampshire Medicaid to pay approximately $173,998 based on false and fraudulent claims.

Alonso pleaded guilty on October 23, 2025, to one count of health care fraud. At sentencing, Alonso was ordered to pay $173, 998.83 in restitution.

The U.S. Attorney's Office previously entered into a resolution with the telehealth mental health provider, LifeWorks Counseling Associates, PLLC and its owner, Dr. David Ferruolo, to resolve a parallel civil matter under which they paid $300,000 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by improperly billing Medicaid for services provided by an individual (Alonso) excluded from the Medicaid program.

U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan for the District of New Hampshire, Special Agent in Charge Roberto Coviello of HHS-OIG, and Special Agent in Charge Ted E. Docks of the FBI Boston Field Office made the announcement.

HHS-OIG and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Vicinanzo of the District of New Hampshire and Trial Attorneys Thomas D. Campbell, John W. Howard, and Danielle H. Sakowski of the Criminal Division's Fraud Section prosecuted the case.