A Pueblo woman was arrested for fraudulently filing Medicaid claims totaling over $500,000, the office of Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser announced on Friday via press release.

Renee Fasano, 46, is the owner of Southern Colorado Telehealth in Pueblo County Colorado, and the press release states she “routinely filed claims and received Medicaid reimbursement for telehealth services that were not provided” between March and April of 2020.

The arrest affidavit states that Fasano opened Southern Colorado Telehealth in February of 2020.

Fasano used her previous job as a biller for a primary care facility in Pueblo to steal patient information and fraudulently claim those individuals had been seen at Southern Colorado Telehealth, according to the press release.

The press release states that the estimated total theft which occurred was $577,935.82.

The affidavit outlines how Fasano used the stolen money to pay off car payments, give money to her kids, add money to her own bank account and invest in cryptocurrencies.

“Those who steal from our Medicaid system take money away from some of those in our state who need it most to ensure they have proper medical care,” Weiser said via press release. “My office will continue to hold accountable those who seek to take advantage of such a critical service.”

Fasano’s scheme quickly unraveled when patients began receiving mail from Medicaid claiming services from Southern Colorado Telehealth that they had not actually received. In fact, Fasano admits within the affidavit that she had met with none of the individuals she had billed.

Fasano is facing two counts of Medicaid fraud, one a class-3 felony and the other a class-5 felony. If found guilty of both charges, Fasano could face up to 15 years in prison as punishment, per Colorado law.

Court records show that Fasano posted a $50,000 bond shortly after her arrest Thursday.

Fasano will make her first appearance in the Pueblo County Combined Courts on Thursday, Nov. 3.