A federal complaint accuses a Florida nurse of submitting thousands of Medicaid claims for medication-management services that investigators say were not actually provided, with allegations ranging from billing after patients stopped seeing her to charging for care while patients were hospitalized, incarcerated, or deceased.
Federal authorities arrested Marisol Rodriguez, also known as Marisol Colon, a 49-year-old resident of Lehigh Acres, Florida, on a criminal complaint charging healthcare fraud. She appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas O. Farrish in Hartford and was released on a $100,000 bond pending further proceedings.
The complaint centers on the Connecticut Medical Assistance Program, often called “HUSKY” or “Connecticut Medicaid,” which provides federally supported healthcare to low-income residents. Investigators allege Rodriguez, an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse who previously lived in Newington, Connecticut, abused her APRN prescribing privileges by billing Medicaid for medication-management visits that were never provided.
Prosecutors claim the false billings covered many scenarios that would make real-time care impossible, including services allegedly rendered after patients stopped seeing her, while Rodriguez worked full time for another employer, and during periods when she was reportedly collecting unemployment after being fired. The complaint also asserts claims were submitted for patients who were hospitalized, incarcerated, or deceased.
According to the complaint, the alleged scheme ran from about January 2022 through August 2025 and resulted in more than 15,000 Medicaid claims paid to Rodriguez, totaling over $1.35 million. A state analysis reportedly found her billing volume ranked first among a peer set of 116 APRNs, with roughly 5,000 more claims and about $500,000 more paid than the second-highest biller.
Beyond billing counts, the complaint alleges Rodriguez often failed to properly review patients’ medical histories before prescribing controlled substances. Investigators say she did not adequately consider the necessity or safety of prescriptions in light of other medications patients were taking, raising concerns about patient safety as well as program integrity.
The complaint charges Rodriguez with healthcare fraud, an offense that carries a maximum prison term of 10 years, and making false statements relating to healthcare matters, which carries a maximum of five years. U.S. Attorney Sullivan emphasized that the complaint is just that — a charge — and that each defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The investigation involves multiple agencies, including the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG), the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Connecticut Chief State’s Attorney’s Office, assisted by the Connecticut Department of Social Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney David T. Huang is prosecuting the case.
The Department of Justice recently announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division, referred to in DOJ materials as the “Fraud Division.” That unit is designed to zero in on schemes that steal from federal benefit programs and to coordinate enforcement across agencies to protect taxpayers and beneficiaries.
Officials describe the Fraud Division’s mission as part of a broader, whole-of-government push to root out fraud, waste, and abuse in federal programs. The Department has tied this effort to a task force chaired at the executive level, emphasizing aggressive investigation and prosecution of those who exploit benefit systems.
Allegations like these highlight the challenge of policing complex healthcare payments, where electronic claims and remote prescribing can create opportunities for abuse. State and federal investigators say they rely on billing patterns, peer comparisons, and patient records to detect anomalies and build cases when billing practices appear outside the norm.
Defense lawyers in such matters typically press for due process and careful review of records, and courts must weigh documentary evidence, witness testimony, and legal arguments before any determination of guilt. For now, the complaint sets out the accusations and the legal exposure Rodriguez faces if convicted on the counts outlined by prosecutors.
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