Michael Barbella, Managing Editor12.09.22
A married couple that orchestrated a multi million-dollar healthcare fraud scheme will spend time behind bars for their crime.
Tea Kaganovich, 50, and Ramazi Mitaishvili, 62, both of Brooklyn, N.Y., were recently sentenced to three years in prison for their roles in defrauding the U.S. government of more than $18 million. According to court documents, the married couple co-owned several diagnostic testing facilities in Brooklyn and paid more than $18 million in kickbacks in exchange for beneficiary referrals to their facilities. The couple also told the IRS the illegal kickback payments were legitimate business expenses and submitted tax forms that under-reported business income and claimed deductions to which they were not entitled.
The HHS-OIG, FBI, and IRS-CI investigated the case.
Assistant Chief Debra Jaroslawicz and Trial Attorney Sarah Wilson Rocha of the Justice Department’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanisha Payne handled forfeiture matters.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, comprised of 15 strike forces operating in 24 federal districts, has charged more than 4,200 defendants who collectively have billed the Medicare program for more than $19 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in healthcare fraud schemes.
Tea Kaganovich, 50, and Ramazi Mitaishvili, 62, both of Brooklyn, N.Y., were recently sentenced to three years in prison for their roles in defrauding the U.S. government of more than $18 million. According to court documents, the married couple co-owned several diagnostic testing facilities in Brooklyn and paid more than $18 million in kickbacks in exchange for beneficiary referrals to their facilities. The couple also told the IRS the illegal kickback payments were legitimate business expenses and submitted tax forms that under-reported business income and claimed deductions to which they were not entitled.
The HHS-OIG, FBI, and IRS-CI investigated the case.
Assistant Chief Debra Jaroslawicz and Trial Attorney Sarah Wilson Rocha of the Justice Department’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanisha Payne handled forfeiture matters.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, comprised of 15 strike forces operating in 24 federal districts, has charged more than 4,200 defendants who collectively have billed the Medicare program for more than $19 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in healthcare fraud schemes.