Massachusetts Dentist Sentenced for Embezzling Over $1.2 Million and Defrauding the Government

BOSTON – A Massachusetts dentist was sentenced today for embezzling over $1.2 million from his employer and fraudulently obtaining government benefits in his employer’s name. 

Jack Massarsky, 65, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to two years in prison and three years of supervised release. Massarsky also paid more than $1.2 million in restitution prior to sentencing. On Jan. 25, 2023, Massarsky pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud and one count of wire fraud. 

Between 2015 and 2021, Massarsky worked as a dentist and bookkeeper for a general dentistry practice in Massachusetts. In 2015, Massarsky opened a secret bank account in the name of the dentistry practice. Massarsky then intercepted insurance reimbursement checks sent to the dentistry practice in the mail and deposited those checks in the secret bank account. He continued this practice for over five years and embezzled over $1.2 million. Massarsky used the stolen funds for personal and family expenses.

Additionally, Massarsky used the dentistry practice’s name to defraud the United States. In July 2020, he submitted a fraudulent application to the Health Resources and Services Administration Provider Relief Fund (HRSA PRF) in the name of the dentistry practice. The HRSA is an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services that provides health care to people who are geographically isolated or otherwise vulnerable. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the HRSA PRF provided economic assistance to qualifying healthcare providers, including certain dentistry practices. By submitting the fraudulent application to the HRSA PRF, Massarsky obtained over $52,000 in pandemic relief funds that were deposited in the secret bank account Massarsky had opened in the name of his employer.

United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Markham of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.