US authorities charge 15 in $2 billion healthcare fraud ring

Summarised from New York Post's report · Updated 22 Oct, 16:03 · Archive

Federal prosecutors in Los Angeles charged 15 defendants for orchestrating multiple healthcare fraud schemes that stole $2 billion from government and private insurers.

Federal prosecutors in Los Angeles charged 15 defendants for orchestrating healthcare fraud schemes totalling $2 billion, according to the Department of Justice. The defendants, including medical professionals, are accused of submitting fraudulent claims to government and private healthcare programmes. One case involved a $1.6 billion sham rehabilitation centre scheme, described as the largest of its type ever.

Amongst those charged is chiropractor Hany Malek, 61, accused of working with cardiac surgeon Harold Tabaie, 78, to bill Medicare $134 million for unnecessary atherectomy procedures. Prosecutors say Malek falsely diagnosed patients with arterial disease and recommended invasive procedures using bladed catheters, which Tabaie then performed on patients who did not actually have the condition. Some patients reportedly had repeat procedures despite unsuccessful prior treatments.

Federal agents conducted predawn raids to apprehend suspects. Agents serving Malek's Tarzana mansion used flash-bang grenades and surrounded the property with armed vehicles before taking him into custody. The charges also include schemes targeting homeless people for rehabilitation programmes and fraudulent hospice billing.

Read the report

• Feds bust $2B medical fraud rings secretly operating in California — as agents seen scaling rich doctor’s mega mansionFeds busted Los Angeles medical fraudsters accused of stealing $2 billon Thursday, cuffing white-collar thieves for unneeded surgeries, hunting the homeless for rehabs and billing the government for phony hospice care. Department of Justice officials charged 15 defendants in all, including medical professionals, for making fraudulent claims to government and private health care programs –...New York Post · 22 Oct, 15:23

In this story: Los Angeles · Hany Malek · Harold Tabaie · Department of Justice · Medicare · FBI

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