First of four accused in taxi biz Medicaid fraud scheme sentenced to year in jail

David Hackney pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit Medicaid fraud with Edward Donnell IV, Liudmila Bulatova and Angelica Soule. (Courtesy image)

CONCORD - The Attorney Generals Office announced on Tuesday that one of four conspirators in a Medicaid fraud scheme involving a former Rochester taxi business has been sentenced to a year in jail after pleading guilty to all charges.

David Hackney, 40, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to make false claims and conspiracy to commit theft by deception in connection with fraudulent claims for non-emergency medical transportation services provided by Frank's Taxi. As a former employee of Frank's Taxi, Hackney was engaged in a conspiracy with other Frank's Taxi employees collecting more than $20,000 in fraudulent Medicaid claims paid to Frank's Taxi for transportation services that were never provided between June 2, 2015, and April 30, 2016.

During Tuesday's hearing Hackney pleaded guilty to conspiring with Edward Donnell IV, 39, Liudmila Bulatova, 37, and Angelica Soule, 33.

Donnell owned Frank's Taxi, which was headquartered in Somersworth. Bulatova, Donnell's wife, was also employed by Frank's Taxi and handled the company's billing. Hackney was a driver and mechanic, and Soule was his girlfriend.

The Strafford County Superior Court sentenced Mr. Hackney to serve 12 months in the Strafford County House of Corrections on the charge of conspiracy to make false claims. The Court further ordered Hackney to pay restitution in the amount of $21,298.14 to New Hampshire Medicaid and sentenced him to serve two to four years at the New Hampshire State Prison on the charge of conspiracy to commit theft by deception, all suspended for five years from his release on the False Claims charge. The prison term will be imposed consecutively if he fails to remain of good behavior.

The other three have not yet agreed to plea deals.

Anyone who would like to report a case of provider fraud is asked to contact the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit at (603) 271-1246. The Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the New Hampshire Department of Justice receives 75 percent of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant award totaling $855,236 for Federal fiscal year (FY) 2021. The remaining 25 percent, totaling $285,078 for FY 2021 is funded by the State of New Hampshire.