Behavioral-health worker admits billing Medicaid for therapy that never happened
Delly Shabani pleaded guilty to a D.C. Medicaid fraud conspiracy that fabricated or inflated mental-health service claims.
- Development
- 12 November 2026
- Coverage
- Breaking news
- Current status
- Developing case
- Source record
- 2 verified sources
What changed
Delly Shabani, 37, of Laurel, Maryland, pleaded guilty in federal court in Washington to conspiracy to commit health-care fraud. Prosecutors say her role in a billing scheme caused more than $250,000 in losses to D.C. Medicaid.
The public record separates what has been established from what remains contested. In a charge-based case, allegations are not findings and the defendant retains the presumption of innocence. In a plea or sentencing case, the admitted offense and the court's judgment define the result. This report uses those distinctions throughout and does not treat an accusation, indictment or investigative step as proof of guilt. Dates, amounts and procedural details are attributed to the cited records and may be refined by later court filings. [1] [2]
The underlying case
Shabani worked as a community support worker for Quality Healthcare Services. Court documents say workers were directed to bill the maximum number of units, inflate short telehealth calls and spread information from one conversation across multiple fabricated encounter notes.
The public record separates what has been established from what remains contested. In a charge-based case, allegations are not findings and the defendant retains the presumption of innocence. In a plea or sentencing case, the admitted offense and the court's judgment define the result. This report uses those distinctions throughout and does not treat an accusation, indictment or investigative step as proof of guilt. Dates, amounts and procedural details are attributed to the cited records and may be refined by later court filings. [1] [2]
What the court record means
The guilty plea establishes Shabani’s criminal responsibility for the conspiracy count. She is the third person to plead guilty among six defendants charged in the matter, according to prosecutors. Her sentence remains pending and will be determined individually.
The public record separates what has been established from what remains contested. In a charge-based case, allegations are not findings and the defendant retains the presumption of innocence. In a plea or sentencing case, the admitted offense and the court's judgment define the result. This report uses those distinctions throughout and does not treat an accusation, indictment or investigative step as proof of guilt. Dates, amounts and procedural details are attributed to the cited records and may be refined by later court filings. [1] [2]
What happens next
The sentencing court will consider loss, role, restitution and other factors. The broader case against remaining defendants continues, and allegations against people who have not pleaded guilty or been convicted must still be proved.
The public record separates what has been established from what remains contested. In a charge-based case, allegations are not findings and the defendant retains the presumption of innocence. In a plea or sentencing case, the admitted offense and the court's judgment define the result. This report uses those distinctions throughout and does not treat an accusation, indictment or investigative step as proof of guilt. Dates, amounts and procedural details are attributed to the cited records and may be refined by later court filings. [1] [2]
Sources & further reading
- Maryland Behavioral Health Worker Pleads Guilty to Billing D.C. Medicaid ↗U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Columbia · 2026-11-12 · Primary source
- Behavioral-health worker admits D.C. Medicaid billing fraud ↗Washington Business Journal · 2026-11-13
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