Cherry Hill man gets 70 months in prison for $2.5M Medicaid fraud

Cesar Tavera, the former executive director of a community health center in Camden, was sentenced Monday to more than five years in prison for stealing money from the nonprofit, which was created to provide mental health services for the city’s underserved residents.

In addition to 70 months in prison, three years of supervised release was ordered by U.S. District Judge Noel L. Hillman in Camden. The judge also issued a $2.5 million restitution order.

In May, Tavera pleaded guilty to embezzling more than $1.5 million and conspiracy to commit health-care fraud. Had he gone to trial and been convicted, Tavera could have faced more than 10 years in prison.

Two others, including Tavera’s wife, Maria, and a therapist, Andres Ayala, pleaded guilty to similar charges earlier this year. Maria Tavera pleaded guilty in June to embezzling $40,000 from the nonprofit.

Read more: http://www.philly.com/philly/news/crime/cherry-hill-man-sentenced-to-70-months-in-prison-for-2-5-million-medicaid-fraud-20171023.html