Press Release  Former MassHealth Official Stacia Castro pays $6,000 Civil Penalty for Violating Conflict of Interest Law

Boston, MA — Stacia Castro, a former director of the MassHealth Specialty Provider Network, has paid a $6,000 civil penalty for violating the conflict of interest law by, while a state employee, soliciting and receiving free Boston Red Sox tickets and other things of value from the contractor administering the MassHealth dental program. Castro signed a Disposition Agreement in which she admitted to the violations and waived her right to a hearing.

As director of the MassHealth Specialty Provider Network, Castro was responsible for day-to-day interactions with DentaQuest, the third-party administrator of MassHealth’s dental program. In June 2016, Castro asked DentaQuest’s regional director if the company had access to Red Sox tickets. The company later provided Castro with four free tickets valued at $120 apiece, a tour of Fenway Park, and a $500 voucher for dinner at Fenway Park’s EMC Club. In June 2017, Castro asked the DentaQuest regional director for six free Red Sox tickets, but DentaQuest was unable to accommodate the request. Castro again asked DentaQuest for free Red Sox tickets in May 2018 and was provided with four tickets worth $120 apiece. Castro did not pay for any of the tickets, the Fenway Park tour, or the dinner voucher.

The conflict of interest law prohibits public employees from soliciting or receiving anything worth $50 or more for or because of their public positions that is not authorized by statute or regulation. Castro violated this prohibition by repeatedly asking DentaQuest, state contractor with whom she regularly interacted in her official position, for Red Sox tickets and by receiving the free tickets, tour, and meal voucher from the company.

The Commission encourages public employees to contact the Commission’s Legal Division at 617-371-9500 for free advice if they have any questions regarding how the conflict of interest law may apply to them.

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