What Were Federal Agents Doing at a Healthcare Provider in Lewiston, Maine?

According to an article on the WGME website, federal agents were seen Tuesday morning at a Lewiston business that has previously been tied to a broader tax fraud investigation.

The article explains that more than a dozen agents entered the offices of Bright Future, Healthier You at 95 Park Street in Lewiston.  It is not clear what prompted the visit or whether investigators removed any evidence from the building.  Witnesses and photos from the scene indicate the agents were connected to Homeland Security Investigations.

The behavioral health provider has previously been mentioned in connection with a federal tax case that has already produced a guilty plea.

In that case, Lewiston business owner Rakiya Mohamed, who ran Reliable Language Resources, pleaded guilty in federal court to filing a false tax return and interfering with federal tax laws.  Prosecutors say the charges stem from Mohamed’s personal tax filings for 2018 and 2019.

Court records show audits uncovered false reporting tied to her business, including about $170,000 listed for contracted work and more than $200,000 in office expenses in 2019.

Mohamed could face up to five years in prison and fines of up to $250,000.

Earlier this year, prosecutors also accused Mohamed and her mother of taking part in a scheme to bill MaineCare for payments involving employees who did not exist and services that were never provided. Investigators said the alleged scheme involved several organizations, including Lewiston-based Bright Future Healthier You, which records show contracted with Reliable Language Resources for interpreter services.

With regard to the recent visit in Lewiston, the U.S. Attorney's Office says it won't comment on ongoing cases.