Chief State’s Attorney Patrick J. Griffin announced that the Honorable Tracy Lee Dayton on February 11, 2026 sentenced Darlene Shuff-Porter, also known as Darlene Dailey, age 66, of Middletown, to three years in prison, execution of that time suspended, with five years of conditional discharge for defrauding Medicaid by submitting fraudulent claims for work she did not perform and allowing unlicensed individuals to provide behavioral health services. The defendant was ordered not to be a Medicaid provider during the period of her five-year conditional discharge. The defendant paid $55,410.69 in restitution the day of sentencing. By pleading guilty to two program-related felonies, the defendant is also subject to mandatory exclusion as a healthcare provider to certain federally funded health programs pursuant to federal and state laws and regulations.
An investigation by Inspectors of the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit in the Office of the Chief State’s Attorney determined that between December 2018 and April 2020, Shuff-Porter, a Licensed Behavioral Health Clinician, and owner of Dailey Professional Counseling Services, LLC, located in Meriden, billed for psychotherapy services that were not rendered. Evidence acquired through an investigation showed that Dailey Professional Counseling Services, LLC was not meeting with clients as reported; however, she was submitting claims to the Department of Social Services for payment. In addition, she was utilizing unlicensed employees to meet with clients and then billing as if licensed qualified services were provided. The investigation concluded Shuff-Porter fraudulently billed Medicaid and received an amount of $55,410.69 in Medicaid payments she was not entitled to receive.