Criminal Charges Against 21 Defendants in COVID 19 Fraud Schemes

HI INDIA NEWS DESK

WASHINGTON, DC- The Department of Justice has announced criminal charges against 21 defendants in nine federal districts across the United States for their alleged participation in various health care related fraud schemes that exploited the COVID-19 pandemic. These cases allegedly resulted in over $149 million in COVID-19-related false billings to federal programs and theft from federally-funded pandemic assistance programs. In connection with the enforcement action, the department seized over $8 million in cash and other fraud proceeds.

In several cases defendants allegedly offered COVID-19 testing to induce patients to provide their saliva or blood sample. The defendants are alleged to have then used the information and samples to submit false and fraudulent claims to Medicare for unrelated, medically unnecessary, and far more expensive tests or services. The proceeds of these fraudulent schemes were allegedly laundered through shell corporations in the United States, transferred to foreign countries, and used to purchase real estate and luxury items.

In another type of COVID-19 health care fraud, defendants allegedly exploited policies that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) put in place.