Armenian-American Crime Ring Targeted in Medicare Case
October 14, 2010 - Howard Anderson, Managing Editor, HealthcareInfoSecurity.comFederal authorities have charged 44 alleged members and associates of an Armenian-American organized crime enterprise in connection with two massive health insurance fraud schemes.
In addition to a $100 million scheme to defraud Medicare -- the largest single Medicare fraud case -- members of the crime ring also were charged in connection with a separate scheme to defraud private health insurers in the New York area, federal authorities say.
The Medicare indictment alleges defendants operated at least 118 bogus medical clinics in 25 states that submitted the fraudulent claims.
"There were no real medical clinics behind the fraudulent billings, just stolen doctors' identities," says Janice Fedarcyk, FBI assistant director-in-charge. "There were no colluding patients signing in at clinics for unneeded treatments, just stolen patient identities."
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