Maine officials have suspended payments to Gateway Community Services, a nonprofit organization in Portland, following allegations of fraud. The state’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) announced on Tuesday that this decision stems from a third audit, which uncovered overpayments exceeding $1.1 million from March 2021 to December 2022.
According to DHHS spokesperson Lindsay Hammes, the suspension is standard procedure when there are credible allegations of fraud. “Payment suspensions must be imposed when there is a credible allegation of fraud, unless ‘good cause exception’ criteria are met to delay such action,” Hammes stated. The case has been referred to the Office of the Attorney General for further investigation.
Gateway Community Services, located on Forest Avenue, provides health care to immigrants and has been under scrutiny since allegations emerged from a former employee, Chris Bernardini. These claims were initially reported by The Maine Wire six months ago and gained renewed attention in national media, including reports connecting similar fraud allegations involving Somali immigrants in Minnesota to broader immigration issues highlighted by former President Donald Trump.
The recent audit, initiated in January 2023, was prompted by “internal data analytics” that suggested irregularities. Hammes noted that the findings revealed areas of noncompliance, leading to the identification of nearly $1.1 million in overpayments. This follows earlier audits that discovered an additional $662,608 in overpayments from 2015 to 2018.
The timing of the suspension coincides with inquiries from the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, led by Representative James Comer, who has requested financial information related to Gateway and its connections to suspected fraud in Minnesota. The nonprofit is included in a list of entities under investigation, although specific details of its involvement remain unclear.
In response to the allegations, Gateway’s attorney, Pawel Binczyk, stated that the organization would carefully review the claims. He emphasized that Gateway stands by its billing practices and intends to cooperate fully with state authorities. “Gateway stands by its previous statements on this issue and will continue to cooperate with the state as it has in the past,” Binczyk remarked.
Gateway has maintained that the audits do not indicate any intentional wrongdoing or that it billed for services not rendered. The organization has consistently asserted its commitment to proper billing practices and compliance with state regulations. In a statement released earlier this month, it highlighted the importance of its services to the community, stressing that many of its clients and employees are not immigrants.
Binczyk’s statement further elaborated, saying, “These reckless narratives have real impacts on the thousands of Mainers, a majority of whom are not immigrants, that rely on Gateway for services, as well as the many employees, again many of whom are not immigrants, that work to assist those Mainers.”
As investigations continue, the implications of this case may extend beyond Maine, potentially influencing the national dialogue on immigration and nonprofit accountability. The complex intersection of health care, community services, and immigration remains a critical issue as authorities work to ensure transparency and integrity in the utilization of public funds.
