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Psychotherapist arraigned for allegedly making $600,000 in fraudulent claims

By Alyssa Choiniere achoiniere@heraldstandard.Com 4 min read
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Roberto M. Esquivel|Herald-Standard

Lisa A. Wally, 33, is pictured leaving the office of Magisterial District Judge Michael M. Metros Wednesday morning following a preliminary arraignment. Wally, a licensed professional counselor, is charged with fraudulently billing an insurance company out of more than $600,000.

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Roberto M. Esquivel|Herald-Standard

Lisa A. Wally, 33, is pictured leaving the Fayette County Booking Center Wednesday morning following her preliminary arraignment before Magisterial District Judge Michael M. Metros. Wally, a licensed professional counselor, is charged with fraudulently billing an insurance company out of more than $600,000.

A licensed professional counselor with an office in Uniontown was arraigned Wednesday morning for allegedly making more than $600,000 in fraudulent insurance claims.

Lisa Wally, 33, of McKeesport allegedly filed claims to Highmark Blue Cross/Blue Shield for hundreds of appointments her patients did not attend between 2011 and 2015.

Wally allegedly billed the insurance company for nearly 10,000 appointments for 22 patients. She actually completed fewer than 2,000, according to the affidavit of probable cause.

A state Office of the Attorney General investigation began in March 2015 when the insurance company submitted a referral saying Wally’s claims were identified as “exceeding all other licensed professional counselors,” according to the affidavit.

Supervisory Special Agent Robert M. Gift interviewed many of her patients, according to the complaint. Several called the billing amounts “ridiculous” or “not even close” to accurate.

One patient, identified in the complaint as “K.M.,” said she only saw Wally once; however, her insurance was billed for 402 sessions, according to the complaint.

Several of the clients confronted Wally about the billings, the complaint said. One patient, identified as “C.M.,” said Wally cried and said she was sorry, adding that she was in a “low place” and “hurting for money.”

C.M. said Wally posted about several vacations on Facebook, purchased expensive purses and new vehicles for herself and her parents.

Another client, identified in the complaint as “A.G.,” said her ex-husband’s union was pursuing civil action against her for $50,000 in billings. According to the complaint, Wally told her she was sorry and said “I did bill your insurance for every day.”

“A.G. said the actor advised that she would repay every dollar and ‘Don’t worry, I’ve got your back,'” Gift wrote in the complaint. But A.G. said she never received any money.

According to the complaint, Wally has tried to contact A.G., but the former patient has avoided contact.

Two other patients, J.D. and D.D., told Gift that Wally’s husband, identified in the complaint as Jeremiah, contacted them to tell them there was an investigation into his wife’s “appointments and billing practices,” and that they were involved.

J.D. said Jeremiah told him Wally was “a wreck,” and D.D. said he told her Wally was in the hospital.

According to the complaint, Wally admitted to investigators she billed the insurance company for appointments that never occurred.

“(Wally) advised if she and/or her husband were in need of money ‘they would just bill’ because they knew certain patients insurance would pay weekly,” Gift wrote.

Investigators executed search warrants at both of her offices. In her office rental space at 2 West Main St. in Uniontown, investigators said they did not find any patient files or sign-in forms. According to the complaint, they found a file cabinet that was empty except for hanging files with tabs marked “UPMC” and “Department of Welfare.”

The building administrator told investigators she has never seen Wally, and that she was behind on her rent.

At her Pittsburgh office at 5562 Wilkens Ave., investigators said they found blank paperwork, an informational packet and business card.

Wally was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Michael Metros on a $50,000 unsecured bond. She is facing charges of insurance fraud, theft by deception and fraudulent use of a computer, all third-degree felonies.

Her attorney, Michael Machen of Pittsburgh, declined comment after the arraignment, saying the investigation is ongoing.

Wally has an active license as a professional counselor for social work, which was renewed in March, according to a state licensing database.

A website for “Lisa A. Smith Wally Counseling Services” is active at www.riseupandlove.com and lists both the Pittsburgh and Uniontown offices as service locations. The website lists services including life coaching, anxiety, depression and addiction counseling.

According to her website’s “About Me” section, she received bachelor’s and master’s degrees from California University of Pennsylvania.

A listed phone number is temporarily out of service. An email sent to the listed address was returned as undeliverable.

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