‘Brazen and egregious’ fraud: FBI charges Newton substance abuse clinic owner with healthcare fraud

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — The owner of a chain of clinics treating substance abuse disorders in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, and one of the company’s employees, were charged Thursday with cheating health insurers out of millions of dollars while depriving patients of needed services, federal prosecutors said.

Michael Brier, 60, the owner of Recovery Connection Centers of America, Inc., was arrested at his home in Newton, Massachusetts. The feds quickly moved to seize his house, valued at 2 million dollars, as well as two late-model luxury cars, and the Providence headquarters of Recovery Connections Centers.

Brier was charged with healthcare fraud, aggravated identity theft, money laundering, and obstruction.

Mi Ok Bruining, 62, of Warwick, the company’s former supervisory counselor, was charged with health care fraud, Cunha said. She is alleged to have hired and trained counselors on how to fraudulently bill insurers.

“The allegations set forth, in this case, represent one of the most brazen and egregious examples of health care fraud the FBI has seen here in Rhode Island in recent history, " Boston FBI Special Agent In Charge Joseph Bonavolonta said at a news conference Thursday.

Authorities say, since 2018, up to 1800 patients have sought help for their addiction at Recovery Connections Centers locations throughout Southeastern Massachusetts and Greater Boston and in Rhode Island.

The feds allege the care was substandard. 45-minute counseling sessions, they say, were actually limited to only five minutes, strictly enforced by the ringing of a bell.

Authorities also allege Brier stole the IDs of doctors to fill prescriptions.

“The Centers opened in in 2018, and the scheme, part of what we allege is that there were about 15 million dollars in total billings private and federal, and part of the allegation is that this center should never have opened because our primary defendant, Mr. Brier used false information to apply federal health care funding, using another individual’s name and health care information,” RI US Attorney Zachary Cunha said.

At The Center’s Providence Headquarters, a state official was trying to direct clients to get help.

“We are here to make sure they get what they need to because the opioid crisis and everything that’s happening, people, who are doing wonderful, we don’t want any disruptions in their care whatsoever,” Linda Mahoney, RI’s Opioid Treatment Authority said.

Brier and Ok were due to be arraigned in federal court in Providence, RI Thursday afternoon.

Recovery Connections Centers of America operates Massachusetts facilities in Attleboro, Brockton, Burlington, Dartmouth, Dedham, Fall River, Hyannis, Natick, Plymouth, Roslindale, Springfield, and Taunton.

Rhode Island facilities are based in Providence and Pawtucket.

Massachusetts Patients needing bridge prescriptions should call: 617.414.4175.

Rhode Island Patients needing bridge prescriptions should call: 401.606.5456

Recovery Centers of America forwarded a statement to Boston 25 News emphasizing that Recovery Connection Centers of America (RCCA) is an unaffiliated and separate company.

Their statement reads:

“Like many members of the recovery and addiction treatment services community, we are troubled and saddened by the allegations outlined in the indictments. But we want to make it clear to all of our patients, families, alumni, referents, partners, and colleagues that Recovery Connection Centers of America and Recovery Centers of America (RCA) are two separate, unrelated companies.”

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