N.J. man took over dead sister’s counseling office and stole $3.4M from Medicaid, prosecutors say

An Essex County man is facing health care and tax fraud charges after federal investigators said he took over his dead sister’s counseling practice and filed false Medicaid claims totaling more than $3.4 million.

Vincente Lopez, 63, of East Orange, was indicted for health-care claims fraud and theft by deception, both second-degree crimes.

He is also charged with Medicaid fraud and three counts of failure to pay taxes while filing a fraudulent return, both as third-degree crimes.

Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin said Tuesday Lopez is the head of Joyce Lopez & Associates, a counseling practice he took over from his sister, who died in 2021.

The practice, which has offices in East Orange and Paterson, provides mental health services and accepts most insurances, including Medicaid, ac