Wyoming County optician convicted of Medicaid fraud

WYOMING COUNTY, N.Y. (WHEC) — A Wyoming County optician was convicted of Medicaid fraud for submitting false claims for services he never provided—some of which were for people who had already passed away.

Thomas Foote, 59, was arrested and charged with Grand Larceny in October last year.

The New York Attorney General’s Office said he received approximately $74,000 in fraudulent Medicaid payments between 2016 and 2019.

Foote previously pled guilty to fourth degree grand larceny after he was accused of stealing more than $21,000 from a youth soccer organization that he was treasurer of from August 2013 to November 2018.

Thursday, he was sentenced to 90 days in state prison and 5 years probation and was ordered to pay $74,000 in restitution.