Article - July 11, 2008 - Small Town Papers

Oak Harbor denturist arrested in theft, Medicaid fraud case

By Justin Burnett

COUPEVILLE, Washington (STPNS) -- An Oak Harbor denturist has been arrested on suspicion of first-degree theft and Medicaid fraud.

Oak Harbor police took Kevin Kowalski, owner of Oak Harbor Denture Center, into custody on June 28. The arrest was a result of a joint investigation between the Oak Harbor Police Department and the Washington Attorney General's Office.

According to Attorney General spokesman Dan Sytman, Kowalski has yet to be formally charged with a crime.

Sytman would not release any information about the case, saying it is still under investigation. But according to an Island County District Court search warrant, Kowalski has allegedly received Medicaid payments for services he never provided in 263 separate cases.

"Kowalski was overpaid by Department of Social and Health Services at least $8,385 for services never provided," the warrant said.

Kowalski is also being investigated by the state Department of Health following more than 20 complaints ranging from patient abandonment to substandard care.

On June 5, Island County District Court Commissioner Linda Kipling awarded $2,313 to Kowalski's former patient, 83-year-old Oak Harbor resident Laurette Dunn, to cover the cost of new set of dentures.

Dunn paid Kowalski $2,200 for dentures earlier this year, but he allegedly never made her a working pair and refused to refund her money. According to the warrant, Kowalski is believed to have done the same thing to at least six other local patients.

Oak Harbor Police Chief Rick Wallace said Attorney General Medicaid Fraud Investigator Bev Maddox recently informed his department about Kowalski's alleged activities. He said his department had suspected a problem, but had been unable to take action until Maddox shared the information.

"We've had several complaints from people," Wallace said. "But it's hard for business complaints to rise to a criminal level."

According to the warrant, Oak Harbor Police Department Lt. Tim Sterkel recently told Maddox the department had received four complaints from citizens in the past three months, all of them alleging they paid Kowalski $2,200 for dentures they never received.

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