§9-7-6 Civil remedies.
§9-7-6. Civil remedies.
(a) Any person, firm, corporation or other entity which willfully, by means of a false statement or representation, or by concealment of any material fact, or by other fraudulent scheme, devise or artifice on behalf of himself, itself, or others, obtains or attempts to obtain benefits or payments or allowances under the medical programs of the department of welfare to which he or it is not entitled, or, in a greater amount than that to which he or it is entitled, shall be liable to the department of welfare in an amount equal to three times the amount of such benefits, payments or allowances to which he or it is not entitled, and shall be liable for the payment of reasonable attorney fees and all other fees and costs of litigation.
(b) No criminal action or indictment need be brought against any person, firm, corporation or other entity as a condition for establishing civil liability hereunder.
(c) A civil action under this section may be prosecuted and maintained on behalf of the department of welfare by the attorney general and his assistants or a prosecuting attorney and his assistants or by any attorney in contract with or employed by the department of welfare to provide such representation.