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Board denies certificate of employability for counselor convicted of health insurance fraud
Summary
The board denied a certificate of employability for Andrew Golden, citing the recent July 2024 conviction for health insurance fraud, the amount involved, and concerns about continued work in the same field and restrictions on serving Medicaid recipients.
The Connecticut Board of Pardons and Paroles denied a certificate of employability on May 4 for Andrew Golden, a licensed professional counselor whose conviction for health insurance fraud occurred in July 2024.
During deliberations Robert Sowski flagged the recentness of Golden’s conviction and the fact that Golden continues to work in counseling. Sowski told the panel he wanted “more time in the community” before the board would consider a certificate. Ailen Keys noted the conviction included a bar on acting as a Medicaid provider and raised questions about how a COE might interact with that restriction. Board members recorded concerns about the size of the fraud — discussed in the meeting as greater than $10,000 and referenced by one member as over $80,000 — and the suspended or conditional sentence that followed.
After discussion the board moved to deny the COE, citing insufficient time since the most recent criminal history and the seriousness of the offense. The chair recorded the denial and noted that applicants denied a hearing, pardon, or COE will receive written notification by mail within one week explaining the reasons for denial. The board emphasized that the denial of a COE does not equate to exoneration or an assertion of innocence.
