Pediatrician Rakesh Punn faces new charges

A Bethpage pediatrician already in jail on charges that he drugged and sexually abused and videotaped at least seven of his female patients has been indicted again -- this time on charges that he committed welfare and insurance fraud.

Rakesh Punn, 53, pleaded not guilty in First District Court in Hempstead to charges that he stole more than $120,000 in taxpayer money, prosecutors said. The charges include second- and third-degree grand larceny, third-degree welfare fraud, first-degree falsifying business records and other charges.

His lawyer, Nicholas Marino of Hicksville, could not be reached to comment.

Punn, who was already being held on $3.5 million bail, is now also held on $1 million bond or $500,000 cash in the fraud case.

He is due back in court Nov. 3.

Prosecutors said that while they were investigating Punn on sexual abuse charges, they discovered that he had helped numerous friends, family members and patients falsify personal information on applications for medical coverage under the taxpayer-funded Child Health Plus and Medicaid programs.

Punn submitted applications on behalf of his patients that gave false information about the patients' employment and income. As a result, his patients were able to avoid paying their contribution to the health insurance premiums, with New York State paying the entire CHP premium. The fabrications cost state taxpayers about $88,000, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors said Punn also had his wife, daughter and son submit applications to Medicaid with false address and income information. Punn's wife and daughter received more than $34,000 worth of taxpayer-funded health coverage that they were not entitled to, prosecutors said.

Punn has been in jail since July 2010 on charges that he drugged, sexually abused and videotaped young female patients in his office -- at least one as young as 11.

Prosecutors said Punn told the girls he was conducting medically necessary examinations.