10 Southern California defendants charged in $270M Medi-Cal fraud scheme
Laura Ingraham: Scammers beware!
The Department of Justice announced it will dismantle the largest healthcare fraud in US history by indicting 455 defendants in 45 states. They allegedly stole $6.5 billion from Medicare and Medicaid through wound care plans and other fraudulent claims. Some funds were used for luxury homes and vehicles, such as a $135,000 Maserati.
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Federal authorities on Tuesday charged 10 Southern California defendants with a series of health care fraud schemes, including a case involving nearly $270 million in fraudulent Medi-Cal claims and another that allegedly defrauded Medicare of nearly $27 million.
The charges were part of the Justice Department’s broader “2026 National Health Care Fraud Elimination” plan, which resulted in charges against 455 defendants in schemes involving more than $6.5 billion in alleged fraud nationwide.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche called the operation “the largest joint federal and state effort in history to combat health care fraud.”
“Scammers will no longer be able to defraud American taxpayers,” Blanche said at a press conference announcing the initiative. “If you want to harm or deceive Americans, we will find you, seize all your assets, and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law.”
FBI ADDS 2 FUGITIVES TO THE ‘MOST WANTED FRAUDSTERS’ LIST AFTER THE REMOVAL OF HISTORICAL $6.5 BILLION HEALTH SERVICES: PATEL
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche speaks during a news conference announcing what federal officials described as the largest health care fraud in U.S. history, resulting in charges against 455 defendants across the country. (Ken Cedeno/AFP via Getty Images)
Federal prosecutors in the Central District of California filed criminal charges against 10 defendants accused of defrauding government-funded healthcare programs or illegally prescribing controlled substances by abusing their positions as medical professionals.
Five people in the greater Los Angeles area were arrested for allegedly participating in a scheme that involved submitting nearly $270 million in fraudulent claims to Medi-Cal for expensive prescription drugs, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California said.
Among those charged was Christina Mareik, also known as Christina Marie Sanchez Hernandez, 61, of Whittier.
HOSPITAL FRAUD USES STOLEN IDENTITIES FOR FAKE PATIENTS
The Department of Justice announced charges against 10 defendants in Southern California in connection with multiple health care fraud schemes. (Ministry of Justice)
Prosecutors allege Mareik helped facilitate fraudulent prescriptions that led to nearly $270 million in compensation to Medi-Cal, resulting in more than $178 million in payments.
The allegations involved expensive drugs containing low-cost generic ingredients that were not medically necessary or were never given to purported recipients, according to prosecutors.
Authorities said Mareik also sent thousands of fraudulent prescriptions to a co-conspirator and caused fraudulent prescriptions to be issued under his name.
LOS ANGELES HOSPITAL FRAUD HAS REACHED BILLIONS AS MEDICAL PROVIDERS FRAUD THE FEDERAL SYSTEM WITH FAKE COMPANIES
Federal prosecutors allege the Southern California defendants participated in schemes that defrauded Medicare and Medi-Cal of hundreds of millions of dollars. (Ministry of Justice)
Mareik was arrested on June 17 and charged with health care fraud.
The charges include a San Fernando Valley man accused of operating hospice care companies that fraudulently billed Medicare for nearly $27 million, according to prosecutors.
Prosecutors also charged Oren David Shachar, 59, of Van Nuys; Abraham Shin (66) of Corona; and Jeannie Choi, 57, of Torrance.
The three defendants face a 16-count indictment alleging they conspired to defraud Medicare of approximately $27 million.
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The charges include health care fraud, health care fraud, aggravated identity theft, monetary transactions involving criminal property exceeding $10,000, and violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute.
Fox News Digital’s Alexandra Koch contributed to this report.
