WORCESTER, Mass. (WWLP) - A Worcester man and his non-emergency medical transportation company have been indicted on 17 counts, including allegedly submitting millions of dollars in false claims to MassHealth. On Tuesday, Instant Transportation, LLC and its owner, 36-year-old Ardit Islamaj, were indicted as a result of charges brought by the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office (AGO). The AGO stated that between August 2018 and August 2023, Instant allegedly billed MassHealth over $3 million in transportation services that were never provided. Traffic stop in Chicopee leads to stolen firearm arrest The company allegedly did this knowingly, with fraudulent services including rides with no corresponding medical visits, rides for patients who were deceased or hospitalized during the time of the claims and rides for patients who cancelled their trips. Islamaj was alleged to have then laundered the MassHealth funds he had fraudulently obtained. Charging documents further stated that Islamaj allegedly committed identity fraud by telling his employees to pose as MassHealth members to obtain more reimbursed rides through MassHealth. Islamaj also reportedly engaged in witness intimidation by paying thousands of dollars to a former employee before she went to a meeting at the AGO. The AGO alleged that Instant and Islamaj committed patient abuse and neglect by permitting the use and sale of illicit drugs to occur during medical transportation, as well as allegedly employing drivers who were accused of sexual assault by patients, which Islamaj was aware of. He also reportedly failed to transport wheelchair patients in wheelchair-accessible vans. Instant Transportation, LLC and Ardit Islamaj were indicted on 17 counts, with charges including: Medicaid False Claims Larceny Over $1,200 Patient Abuse and Neglect Identity Fraud Money Laundering Witness Intimidation Islamaj and Instant will be sentenced at a later date. Local News Headlines Local Head Start CEO elected to New England board Driver injured in rollover crash in Conway New England makes strides towards affordable sustainable energy Belchertown raises flag to honor child abuse prevention WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com. ...read more read less