TL/DR –
Eight defendants have been charged for their alleged roles in a scheme to defraud Medicaid of approximately $68 million through the operation of two social adult day cares and a home health care financial intermediary. The defendants allegedly paid kickbacks and bribes for services that were not provided. Zakia Khan, Ahsan Ijaz, Elaine Antao, Omneah Hamdi, Manal Wasef, Ansir Abassi, Amran Hashmi, and Seema Memon were among those charged in this multi-million dollar fraud scheme.
Eight Defendants Charged in $68 Million Medicaid Fraud Scheme
Eight defendants from Brooklyn, New York have been indicted for an alleged scheme to defraud Medicaid of approximately $68 million. The scheme involved two social adult day cares and a home health care financial intermediary; the defendants are accused of paying kickbacks and bribes for services that were not provided.
The two adult day cares, Happy Family Social Adult Day Care Center Inc. and Family Social Adult Day Care Center Inc., and a financial intermediary, Responsible Care Staffing Inc., were owned by Zakia Khan, 53, and Ahsan Ijaz, 27. They served as part of the New York Medicaid Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Services Program (CDPAP), which allows family members of Medicaid recipients to receive payment for daily living assistance.
The alleged fraud began in October 2017 when marketers referred Medicaid recipients to these businesses in exchange for kickbacks and bribes. Ansir Abassi, 38, and Amran Hashmi, 53, allegedly managed the day care centers and the marketers. To execute the kickback scheme, business entities were allegedly used to launder the fraud proceeds and generate the cash for bribes.
Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, asserted that the defendants had orchestrated a years-long scheme to defraud Medicaid. The defendants allegedly enriched themselves at the expense of vital programs for seniors. Breon Peace, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, added that his office is committed to prosecuting those who exploit federal health care programs and taxpayer funds.
Each defendant faces severe penalties if convicted. Khan could face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count of money laundering, 10 years for each count of health care fraud and paying health care kickbacks, and five years for conspiracy to defraud the United States. Other defendants face similar penalties according to their respective charges.
The case is being investigated by the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), the New York City Police Department (NYPD), and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Trial Attorney Patrick J. Campbell of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section is prosecuting the case with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanisha R. Payne for forfeiture matters.
The Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud are led by the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program has charged more than 5,400 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs more than $27 billion. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
It is important to note that an indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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