The owners of two Brooklyn, N.Y. adult day care centers and a home healthcare company, along with six others, have been indicted for their alleged roles in a years-long healthcare fraud scheme to allegedly steal $68 million from the Medicaid program.
This case underscores the importance of having a healthcare fraud defense attorney who can navigate complex legal battles involving allegations of Medicaid fraud, kickbacks, and bribery.
Happy Family Social Adult Day Care Center Inc., Family Social Adult Day Care Center Inc. and Responsible Care Staffing Inc., which served as a conduit for the illegal payments, were part of the New York Medicaid Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Services Program (CDPAP), which allows family members of Medicaid recipients to receive payment for helping the recipients with daily activities.
The Allegations
The indictment alleges that beginning in approximately October 2017 and continuing through 2024, Zakia Khan and Ahsan Ijaz paid kickbacks to marketers Elaine Antao, Omneah Hamdi, and Manal Wasef.
Two others, Ansir Abassi and Amran Hashmi, managed the daycare centers and the marketers. Another person, Seema Memon, an employee of one of the centers, who was previously charged in July with conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, also was named in the indictment
In exchange for kickbacks and bribes, Antao, Hamdi and Wasef referred Medicaid recipients to Happy Family, Family Social and/or Responsible Care. The marketers in turn allegedly paid kickbacks and bribes to Medicaid recipients for social adult daycare and CDPAP services that were billed to Medicaid but either were not provided or were the result of kickbacks schemes and bribes.
In some cases, the Medicaid recipients were not even in the United States on the purported dates of service.
Khan, Antao, Ijaz, Abassi and Hamdi allegedly used business entities to launder the healthcare fraud proceeds and generate the cash used to pay kickbacks and bribes. This type of money laundering is a serious federal offense, and those facing similar charges should seek immediate legal representation from a knowledgeable healthcare fraud attorney.
The Charges
Khan is charged with conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, healthcare fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States and to pay and receive healthcare kickbacks, paying healthcare kickbacks, conspiracy to commit money laundering and money laundering. If convicted, she faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and money laundering, 10 years in prison for each count of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, healthcare fraud and paying healthcare kickbacks and five years in prison for conspiracy to defraud the United States and to pay and receive healthcare kickbacks.
Abassi, Antao, Hamdi and Ijaz are charged with conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States and to pay and receive healthcare kickbacks, conspiracy to commit money laundering and money laundering. If convicted, they each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and money laundering, 10 years in prison for conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and five years in prison for conspiracy to defraud the United States and to pay and receive healthcare kickbacks.
Hashmi is charged with conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, healthcare fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States and to pay and receive healthcare kickbacks and paying healthcare kickbacks. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each count of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, healthcare fraud and paying healthcare kickbacks and five years in prison for conspiracy to defraud the United States and to pay and receive healthcare kickbacks.
Memon is charged with conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States and to pay and receive healthcare kickbacks and paying healthcare kickbacks. If convicted, she faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each count of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and paying healthcare kickbacks and five years in prison for conspiracy to defraud the United States and to pay and receive healthcare kickbacks.
Wasef is charged with conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and conspiracy to defraud the United States and to pay and receive healthcare kickbacks. If convicted, she faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and five years in prison for conspiracy to defraud the United States and to pay and receive healthcare kickbacks.
How We Can Help
The Health Law Offices of Anthony C. Vitale has more than 30 years of experience representing clients under investigation by a wide range of state and federal agencies including the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Attorney General’s Office, State Attorney’s Office, Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, Medicare Fraud Task Force, as well as licensing boards and other enforcement agencies. Our team of seasoned healthcare fraud defense attorneys can help you navigate the complexities of healthcare fraud investigations, and Medicaid fraud defense.
Making a mistake during any phase of a healthcare fraud investigation may cost you not only time and money, but also your career and freedom. Give us a call at 305-358-4500 or email info@vitalehealthlaw.com to speak with an experienced healthcare fraud defense attorney.
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