United States Attorney's Office District of Connecticut
Press Release

OWNER OF TWO CONNECTICUT HEARING AID STORES SENTENCED TO FEDERAL PRISON FOR HEALTH CARE FRAUD

Kevin J. O’Connor, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that WALTER ROCHEFORT, 52, of Avon, Connecticut, was sentenced today by Senior United States District Judge Peter C. Dorsey in New Haven to 12 months and one day of imprisonment, followed by two years of supervised release.  On September 17, 2007, ROCHEFORT pleaded guilty to one count of health care fraud.  ROCHEFORT also was ordered to pay restitution of $151,152.99 to United Healthcare and Blue Cross/Blue Shield.

According to documents filed with the Court and statements made in court, from September 5, 2001 through August 11, 2006, ROCHEFORT owned and operated Hear True Hearing Center, located at 461 North Main Street in Bristol, Connecticut, and at 7 Whiting Street in Plainville, Connecticut.  During this time, ROCHEFORT submitted claims for hearing aids and hearing aid services provided to current or former employees of General Motors/Delphi or current or former employees of the United Auto Workers, who were insured under health insurance plans offered by United Healthcare and Blue Cross/Blue Shield.  The claims falsely documented that medical procedures necessary for the hearing aids to be covered under the plans had been properly rendered by qualified medical personnel when, in fact, ROCHEFORT falsified the documentation.  The false documentation included physician prescriptions and hearing tests.

U.S. Attorney O’Connor praised the cooperative nature of the investigation, which involved the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Chief State’s Attorney’s Office, and the Office of the Attorney General for the State of Connecticut.

ROCHEFORT is also currently facing state criminal charges and a civil lawsuit brought by the State of Connecticut.

This investigation was conducted by agents from the Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Health Care Fraud Task Force.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David J. Sheldon.

U.S. Attorney O’Connor encouraged individuals who suspect health care fraud to report it by calling the Health Care Fraud Task Force at (203) 785-9270 or 1-800-HHS-TIPS.

CONTACT:

U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
thomas.carson@usdoj.gov