Ex-Greenwich cop sentenced on cruelty to persons charge

Michael Mastronardi, a Shelton resident and former Greenwich police officer, was sentenced to a three-year suspended jail sentence and three years of conditional discharge after pleading guilty to one count of cruelty to persons following an investigation by the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Office of the Chief State’s Attorney.

The investigation determined that Mastronardi was enrolled as a provider in the Personal Care Assistance (PCA) program, a federal and state funded Medicaid program, between August 2014 and April 2019. The PCA program provides recipients with permanent, severe, chronic disabilities a PCA to physically assist them with daily activities enabling them to stay in their homes.

According to the charges brought against him, Mastronardi was claiming to have been providing services to a severely injured recipient who was unable to care for themselves without physical assistance. Inspectors found numerous overlapping dates and times that Mastronardi claimed to have been providing services when he was on duty at the Greenwich Police Department. Inspectors conducted interviews and surveillance, confirming that Mastronardi was not at the recipient’s residence, as claimed, during overnight hours.

By leaving the recipient unattended, Mastronardi intentionally deprived the recipient of proper physical care, a class D felony.

Mastronardi, who now works as a realtor in Westport, was ordered by the court to pay $57,278.24 in restitution to the Department of Social Services to reimburse the Medicaid program.

Photo courtesy Office of the Chief State’s Attorney