Ex-UPMC Employee Sentenced to Prison for Health Care Fraud

PITTSBURGH - A resident of Rural Valley, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 21 months’ imprisonment followed by two years of supervised release and ordered to pay $184,835.09 in restitution on her conviction of mail fraud and health care fraud offenses, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.

United States District Judge Terrence F. McVerry imposed the sentence on Francine Ann Priestas 48.

According to information presented to the court, Priestas was employed as a supervisor in the UPMC Health Plan Claims Department. Priestas generated billing statements which falsely represented that she and others received medical services. She submitted 156 false statements on the UPMC system and received payments totaling $184,835.

Assistant United States Attorney Robert S. Cessar prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Priestas.