East Meadow nursing home sued for fraud, abuse

Fulton Commons Care Center is heading to court.

State attorney general Letitia James is accusing the Merrick Avenue facility of fraud and abuse, which she says led to  insufficient staffing, resulting in “significant” neglects, mistreatment and abuse. The suit also alleges the nursing home’s owners used the state’s Medicaid program money for themselves rather than the facility.

James described a “toxic culture of deceit” at the nursing home when it came to the coronavirus pandemic, including claims of underreporting deaths, and claiming to families the facility was free from Covid-19.

This lawsuit comes on the heels of a grand jury indicting two workers there on charges of sexually abusing a female resident in 2020 and then covering it up. 

“Fulton Commons failed its residents and denied them the basic right of receiving comfortable, competent and respectful care at the facility entrusted to serve them,” James said, in a rekease. “Rather than honor their legal duty to ensure the highest possible quality of life for the residents in their care, the Fulton Commons owners allegedly maintained insufficient staffing so they could take more money for their own personal gain. These actions led to a devastating pattern of resident abuse, neglec, and mistreatment.”

Named in James' suit is Moshe Kalter, principal owner of Fulton Commons, along with his wife, Frady Kalter, her brother, Aaron Fogel. Also named was Fogel's wife Esther, along with Kalter’s eight adult children: Mindy Steger, Sheindy Saffer, Chana Kanarek, Dovid Kalter, Yitzchok Kalter, Aryeh Kalter, Sheva Treff and Chaya “Sara” Lieberman.

Kalter’s nephew Steven Weiss, Fulton Commons’ comptroller, and Cathie Doyle, Fulton Commons’ administrator until Nov. 16, are also named.

The lawsuit does not aim to shut down the facility, however. James wants to remove the facility’s current medical director and replace him with a qualified physician while prohibiting the nursing home from admitting any new residents until staffing levels meet appropriate standards.

James also wants a monitor to oversee the facility’s financial operations, and another to oversee the facility’s health care operations.

James also wants any money received through the alleged fraud repaid, and for the state to be reimbursed for its  costs of the investigation.

A call for comment at Fulton Commons was pending return.