Press Release  AG's Office Secures Indictments Against Two Norfolk County Residents for Elder Neglect, Larceny, and Medicaid Fraud

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office (AGO) today announced that Anne Marie Philippe, 48, and Sage Philippe, 55, both of Milton were indicted by a Norfolk County Grand Jury on various charges, including caretaker neglect of an elder, larceny, and Medicaid fraud. The AGO alleges that the married couple was responsible for the wellbeing of Sage’s mother, Marie Philippe, but failed to properly care for her, resulting in serious bodily injury to her, all while billing MassHealth for services not provided to her.  

According to the AGO, prior to her death, Marie was under the care of her son, Sage, who served as Marie’s personal care attendant (PCA) program surrogate; her daughter-in-law, Anne Marie; and Anne Marie’s mother, Gislaine Sainvil, who was serving as Marie’s PCA. On April 15, 2024, Sage called 911 requesting that an ambulance take his mother to the hospital because a visiting nurse, who had been referred to Marie for treatment of pressure wounds, advised the family that Marie was experiencing worsening conditions. At the hospital, Marie was observed to have severe malnutrition and14 pressure ulcers on her body, including some as large as four by six inches. Marie died in the hospital two days later. 

Through its investigation, and in coordination with the Norfolk District Attorney’s Office, the AGO also alleges that Sage and Anne Marie routinely prevented visiting nurses from entering their home to check on Marie, and on the rare occasion that nurses were allowed inside, they were not allowed to touch Marie and were only allowed to perform a cursory exam in which Marie was mostly covered.  

Furthermore, the AGO alleges that, from October 2023 through the time of Marie’s death, Sage signed off on falsified timesheets certifying PCA services that Gislaine herself admitted were never provided to Marie. The AGO estimates that, in total, MassHealth was fraudulently billed for more than $96,000 in falsified claims for services never provided to Marie between October 2023 to May 2025.  

MassHealth’s PCA program helps individuals with chronic or long-term disabilities live independently in their community by providing medically necessary physical assistance with personal care needs. Through the PCA program, eligible MassHealth members employ PCAs to assist them with their activities of daily living. These services are paid for by MassHealth through a fiscal intermediary. Community based HHA and AFC programs also provide home health services to MassHealth members.   

Sage and Anne Marie are scheduled to be arraigned at a later date. All of these charges are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.  

This matter is representative of the AGO’s commitment to safeguarding residents from abuse and neglect, particularly within the PCA program. In September 2025, the AGO secured a guilty plea and state prison sentence of up to three years from a defendant in Worcester who orchestrated a widespread MassHealth fraud scheme involving the stealing of personal information from disabled, elderly, and unhoused individuals to bill for false PCA and home health services. In November 2024, the AGO announced indictments against three individuals accused of involuntary manslaughter, fraud, and neglect in connection to the inadequate care of an elderly victim, ultimately leading to her death.  

This case was handled by Managing Attorney Heidi Lyn Gosule, AGO Fellow Sindhu Kadhiresan, Special Assistant Attorney General Sean Riley, Investigations Supervisor Dean Bates, Investigator Salvador Jaramillo, and Nurse Investigator Barbara Edwards, all of the AGO’s Medicaid Fraud Division, with substantial assistance from the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General, South Shore Elder Services, and Randolph Police Department.  

The AGO’s Medicaid Fraud Division is a Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, annually certified by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to investigate and prosecute health care providers who defraud the state’s Medicaid program, MassHealth. The Medicaid Fraud Division also has jurisdiction to investigate and prosecute complaints of abuse, neglect and financial exploitation of residents in long-term care facilities and of Medicaid patients in any health care setting. Individuals may file a MassHealth fraud complaint or report cases of abuse or neglect of Medicaid patients or long-term care residents by visiting the AGO’s website.  

The Massachusetts Medicaid Fraud Division receives 75 percent of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant award totaling $6,458,176 for federal fiscal year 2026. The remaining 25 percent, totaling $2,152,724 for FY 2026, is funded by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 

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