Ex-nursing home owners admit fraud, neglect
Two Massachusetts brothers pleaded guilty yesterday to stealing funds and neglecting patients at five nursing homes they formerly owned.
Joel K. Logan, 53, of Norwell and Todd Logan, 47, of Pembroke were charged with larceny, medical assistance fraud, conspiracy, embezzlement, and neglect of patients. A Norfolk Superior Court judge sentenced them to five years of probation and to pay $150,000 in restitution.
Between January 2001 and June 2003, the Logan brothers admitted to using state Medicaid funds for their personal use, failing to provide nursing home patients with food, medicine, bed linens, and sanitary conditions. Instead, the men spent the money on luxuries, including boats and horse races.
In addition to Medicaid funds, the brothers stole $82,000 from the Patients Needs Accounts at Pond Meadow Healthcare Facility in Weymouth and at Elihu White Nursing & Rehabilitation Center and Logan Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, both in Braintree.
The other nursing homes the brothers owned that were involved in the schemes are Atrium Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Middleborough and Crestview Healthcare Facility in Quincy.
The men also stole $55,000 in employee wages withheld for 401(k) retirement accounts and failed to pay more than $22,000 to Colonial Life Insurance for short-term disability policies and to Boston Mutual Life Insurance for life insurance policies from late August 2002 to June 2003.
Both Logan brothers are prohibited from working in healthcare and will not be allowed to head employee benefit plans, according to their sentencing provisions. Joel Logan will also not be allowed to reinstate his revoked nursing administrator's license.
On Dec. 12, 2006, the Logan brothers and their nephew, Gregory Logan, pleaded not guilty to charges after an investigation by the attorney general's office.
Gregory Logan, 44, of Kingston is charged with stealing patient funds and conspiracy at Pond Meadow Nursing Home, where he worked as administrator. His trial is scheduled for a later date. 