Man Posing as Licensed Dentist to Serve Jail Time for Fraud and Illegal Prescribing
A Milton man has been sentenced to a total of five years in the House of Correction and ordered to pay restitution after being convicted of practicing dentistry without a license, illegally prescribing controlled substances, and defrauding the state’s Medicaid program, MassHealth.
The Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office announced that Fritz Gabriel, 71, was convicted following an eight-day jury trial in Suffolk Superior Court. On February 17, 2026, a jury found Gabriel guilty of one count of Medicaid False Claims, one count of Larceny Over $1,200, one count of Unlicensed Practice of Dentistry, and one count of Illegally Prescribing Controlled Substances.
Gabriel was sentenced to two consecutive 2½-year terms in the House of Correction, resulting in a total of five years of incarceration. In addition, he will serve two years of probation following his release and has been ordered to pay restitution to MassHealth. The exact amount of restitution will be determined at a hearing scheduled for April 1 in Suffolk Superior Court.
According to evidence presented at trial, Gabriel engaged in a scheme to defraud MassHealth by billing the program for dental procedures that were never performed. Prosecutors showed that he submitted claims for services such as extractions, root canals, and multi-surface fillings at a Boston dental clinic, despite the fact that those services were not actually provided to MassHealth members. Authorities estimate that approximately $245,000 was fraudulently obtained through these submissions.
The investigation also revealed that Gabriel billed MassHealth for dental procedures he personally performed even though he was not licensed to practice dentistry. Under Massachusetts law, certain dental services must be performed by a licensed dentist. Gabriel was not authorized to provide those services, yet he sought and received reimbursement from the state’s Medicaid program.
In addition to the fraudulent billing, Gabriel falsely represented himself as a licensed dentist and unlawfully issued prescriptions using the registration number and credentials of a licensed dentist without that dentist’s knowledge or permission. The prescriptions included controlled substances such as Percocet and Hydrocodone. State law permits only licensed dentists to prescribe medications to dental patients, and dentists are prohibited from allowing other dental professionals, including assistants, to issue prescriptions on their behalf.
The case marks the latest effort by the Attorney General’s Office to pursue health care providers who abuse positions of trust or misuse public funds. In June 2024, the office announced indictments against a Worcester-based dentist and dental practice in connection with an alleged $2 million Medicaid fraud and larceny scheme involving billing for services that were never provided.
The prosecution was led by Assistant Attorney General Sean Hildenbrandt and Managing Attorney Heidi Lyn Gosule, with Senior Healthcare Fraud Investigator Kathleen Tansey and Victim Witness Advocate Jennifer Spinale assisting. The Office of the Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services also contributed to the investigation.
The Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Division serves as the state’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and is certified annually by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In addition to investigating and prosecuting health care providers who defraud MassHealth, the division has jurisdiction over cases involving abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation of Medicaid patients and long-term care residents.
For federal fiscal year 2026, the division receives 75 percent of its funding, totaling $6,458,176, from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The remaining 25 percent, amounting to $2,152,724, is funded by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Individuals who suspect Medicaid fraud or abuse of Medicaid patients or long-term care residents may file a complaint through the Attorney General’s Office website.
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