Randolph, MA — A Randolph-based autism service provider and its owner have been indicted for allegedly defrauding MassHealth of more than $1 million, https://www.mass.gov/news/ags-office-secures-indictments-against-randolph-autism-service-provider-for-allegedly-submitting-more-than-1-million-in-false-claimsthe Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office (AGO) announced today.
Patrice Lamour, along with her companies Lamour by Design (LBD) and Lamour Community Health Institute (LCHI), is facing serious charges after a Statewide Grand Jury returned indictments for one count of Medicaid False Claims and one count of Larceny over $1,200 against each of the defendants.
According to the AGO’s investigation, Lamour and her businesses allegedly submitted false claims for Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) services—critical therapy designed for children on the autism spectrum—that were never actually provided. Prosecutors say Lamour directed staff to fabricate documentation, billing MassHealth on holidays, after families had canceled appointments, or even after clients had stopped receiving services altogether.
“This case represents a disturbing abuse of a system designed to support some of our most vulnerable children,” said Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell in a separate statement. “We are committed to rooting out fraud and holding providers accountable when they put profits over patients.”
Allegations of Systematic Fraud
ABA services, a cornerstone of autism treatment, must be supervised by Licensed Applied Behavioral Analysts (LABAs) according to MassHealth guidelines. The AGO alleges that the only LABA on Lamour’s staff was part-time and explicitly stated he did not perform the services for which the companies billed.
Investigators further claim that Lamour instructed employees to use outdated historical data rather than actual session records, and to falsify documents to suggest that services had taken place when they had not. These practices, if proven in court, could have resulted in over $1 million in fraudulent payments to LBD and LCHI.
Part of a Broader Crackdown
This indictment is part of a larger statewide effort to crack down on fraud within the ABA provider community. Earlier this year, the AGO secured a conviction against an Essex County man for a similar scheme involving $33,000 in false claims. In late 2023, the state recovered $2.5 million in settlements from other ABA providers accused of misrepresenting credentials and services.
“These charges are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty,” the AGO emphasized.
