Skip to content

A town square for an unsquare town

redbankgreen

Standing for the vitality of Red Bank, its community, and the fun we have together.

DENTIST & WIFE NOT GUILTY IN FRAUD CASE

A Red Bank dentist and his office-manager wife were acquitted earlier this week of all charges in a Medicaid fraud case, the Asbury Park Press reports.

After a four-week trial, a jury in state Superior Court in Freehold found dentist Marc Weber not guilty of all four counts that remained against him following an 11-count indictment a year ago, the Press reports. Weber’s wife, Jennifer Barbers, was acquitted on all five counts left against her.

Weber’s Broad Street dental practice, Weber Dental Associates, was also acquitted of all charges, which included health care claims fraud. Barbers alone faced charges of identity theft and theft by deception.

From the Press:

When the state Attorney General’s Office announced the indictment last year, authorities said Weber and Barbers told another employee — who handled the practice’s billing operations — to submit fraudulent claims to Medicaid and private insurers between 2004 and 2008.

John J. Flynn, the Manasquan-based attorney who represented Weber and the practice, said the dentist did $1.1 million worth of Medicaid billings over a 3 1/2-year period. He was accused of stealing $2,000 from five patients, out of thousands, Flynn said.

“It was just an absurd prosecution,” he said.

Barbers’ Princeton-based attorney, Robert G. Stevens, said they never believed the state could prove fraud as they had alleged in the indictment.

“We had a very good jury and the jury agreed with us,” Stevens said. “I’m very pleased with the verdict.”

The case was tried before state Superior Court Judge Anthony J. Mellaci Jr., sitting in Freehold.

Jury deliberations began late last Friday morning and continued Tuesday, Flynn said.

Weber’s dental license remains active, according to the state Department of Consumer Affairs. Flynn said Weber is still working.

Had they been convicted, the couple would have faced five to 10 years in prison on the conspiracy and health care claims fraud counts.

The state Attorney General’s Office said that while it was disappointed, it respected the jury’s decision.

Remember: Nothing makes a Red Bank friend happier than to hear "I saw you on Red Bank Green!"
Partyline
RED TRUCKS AT RED ROCK
A small dishwasher fire at Red Rock Tap and Grill was put out quickly by firefighters overnight, causing minimal damage. Red Bank Fire Depar ...
CREATIVE COVER UP
The windows of Pearl Street Consignment on Monmouth Street were smashed when a driver crashed their car through them injuring an employee la ...
THEY’RE BACK!
Ospreys returned to the skies over Red Bank this week for the first time since they migrated to warmer climes in late fall. With temperature ...
SPRING IS SPRUNG
RED BANK: Spring 2024 arrives on the Greater Red Bank Green with the vernal equinox at 11:06 p.m. Tuesday.
RED BANK’S FINEST – AND NEWEST
Red Bank Police Officer Eliot Ramos was sworn in as the force’s newest patrolman Thursday, and if you’re doing a double take thinkin ...
EASTER EGG MAYHEM AT THE PARK
An errant whistle spurred an unexpectedly early start to the Spring Egg Hunt on Sunday, which had been scheduled to begin at eggsactly 11am ...
PRESEASON DOCKWORK
RED BANK: With winter winding down, marina gets ready for boating season with some dockwork on our beautiful Navesink River.
CORNED BEEF AND DISCO FRIES?
It’s Friday, and smart Lent-observing Leprechauns know the pot of gold at the end of Red Bank’s rainbow is actually the deliciou ...
SURFBOARD DITCHED
It’s a violation of etiquette in surfing to ditch your board.  (it could hit another surfer and hurt them). But someone appears to ha ...
ELSIE, TAKE ME WITH YOU!
Soaked by pouring rain with the temperature hovering in the low 40’s, this sign in the window of Elsie’s Subs on Monmouth Street ...
WALK THIS WAY
PARTYLINE: Before-and-afters of a sidewalk cleanup on West Street.
SOGGY NOTION
RED BANK: Breezeway sculpture captured the mood downtown as heavy rains fell Saturday morning.
HOME DELIVERY
RED BANK: After a subdivision, an instant house rises on a new Catherine Street lot.
COMMUNITY PROFILES
For Black History Month, Red Bank's Community Engagement and Equity Advisory Committee has been running a series of local profiles on Facebo ...
HEARTY FAREWELL FOR HARDY
RED BANK: Council to honor DPU supervisor Rich Hardy, who retired recently after almost 39 years of keeping things running.
HOMEBOUND? READ ON…
RED BANK: Can't get to the public library? It's now offering free delivery and pickups for homebound borough residents.
TAMING A BEAST OF A WEEK
RED BANK: After the second snowfall of the week, a borough family finds the perfect use for it – a Godzilla snow sculpture.
RED BANK: LIBRARY CLOSED, BUT THE HILL’S OPEN
RED BANK: Though the library was closed by a snowstorm, kids got to enjoy the riverfront property's steep slope Tuesday.
LIGHT(HOUSE) MAKEOVER
This year, getting ready for spring means a midwinter makeover for Strollo's Lighthouse in Red Bank.
TODAY: LOCAL PUPPY COMPETES ON ANIMAL PLANET’S “PUPPY BOWL”
Red Bank’s very own rescue puppy, Biscuit, is set to compete in Animal Planet’s Puppy Bowl this Sunday, February 11, at 2 PM. Th ...