Washington, May 3 - A number of Indian-Americans were among 107 people charged across seven different cities for their role in a Medicare fraud involving a whopping USD 452 million, in one of the biggest busts by US authorities.
Those arrested included doctors, nurses, social workers, health-care company owners in Miami, Los Angeles, Houston, Detroit, Chicago, Tampa and Baton Rouge.
The Medicare Fraud Strike Force charged 107 people for their alleged participation in Medicare fraud schemes involving approximately USD 452 million in false billings, the Department of Justice said in a statement.
This is the highest amount of alleged false Medicare billings involved in a single takedown in the Strike Force's 5-year history.
In an indictment unsealed yesterday, prosecutors accuse Hoor Naz Jafri, a naturalised US citizen from India, and Roslyn F Dogan of Òa pattern of brazenly disregarding legal and administrative processesÓ at their Baton Rouge clinics.
Jafri, faces eight counts of conspiracy and health care fraud. Dogan faces four counts. If convicted, Jafri faces up to 80 years in prison, and Dogan up to 40 years. Prosecutors want them jailed until trial.
Both defendants face forfeiture of at least USD 37.9 million. A preliminary sentencing guidelines analysis shows that the prison sentence for both defendants, based on indicted and relevant conduct, would be life.
In Detroit, the FBI arrested 19 people at 10 facilities accused of USD 50 million in Medicare fraud, the Detroit Free Press reported.
Of those charged in Detroit at least 4 are Indian-Americans --Sachin Sharma, 36, Dana Sharma, 29,
Madhur Thawani, 27, and Ankit Patel, 27, from Michigan.
ÒThe day of stealing from taxpayers is over,Ó US Attorney Barbara McQuade said in announcing the Detroit charges.
The FBI apprehended 59 suspects in South Florida, including the owner of two mental health businesses called Healthcare Solutions Network, The Miami Herald reports.
Those charged are accused of a range of serious offenses, including health-care fraud, conspiracy to commit health-care fraud, money laundering, and violations of the anti-kickback statutes.
The scheme involved paying kickbacks to co-conspirators who unlawfully obtained Medicare beneficiary information, which was used to submit the phony claims.
Earlier, FBI agents raided nine locations across Detroit and seized 14 bank accounts in connection with the fraud investigation.
Showing posts with label consumer fraud. Show all posts
Showing posts with label consumer fraud. Show all posts
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
A $1.14 Billion Dollar Objection Filed Against BMW of North America for Dangerous Fuel Pumps and Waste Gate Safety Defects
LOS ANGELES, March 13, 2012 - The Los Angeles, CA based Law Offices of Hovanes Margarian has filed a 149 page objection to the class action settlement terms in Nguyen v. BMW of North America,
LLC. The class action is based on allegations that an estimated 200,000
BMW vehicles equipped with twin turbo engines have a faulty high
pressure fuel pump which renders the vehicles unsafe.
After nearly two years of litigation the parties have reached a settlement agreement wherein each affected class member will receive a free replacement of the high pressure fuel pump pursuant to an ongoing recall, plus payments ranging from $50 to $400 or an $800 BMW voucher. In his Objection, Margarian argues that these terms are inadequate as they undercut class members' rights pursuant to Federal and State Lemon Laws which entitled consumers to significant, if not full, refunds of all their payments when a vehicle is deemed to be defective. Furthermore, the settlement agreement not only circumvents these laws but also asks class members to waive their legal rights without being properly advised.
According to Margarian, the settlement class should be re-evaluated and divided into sub-categories consisting of class members who qualify for statutory Lemon Law repurchases, class members who qualify for significantly larger diminution of value damage awards, and class members who qualify for recoveries within a smaller range of sums. In total, Margarian requests that the total class recovery be increased from an estimated $42 million dollar sum pursuant to the average expected payout based on the settlement agreement to a whopping $1 billion and $140 million dollar sum.
Furthermore, Margarian requests to be certified as class co-counsel in these proceedings to contribute his expertise in determining a more fair and appropriate resolution for the class members. The Objection to the proposed class settlement in Nguyen v. BMW of North America, LLC, Case No. 3:10-cv-02257-SI, is scheduled for oral arguments in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California before the Honorable Susan Illston on March 16, 2012 in San Francisco, CA.
Hovanes Margarian, Esq. has been counsel on over one thousand consumer fraud and automobile warranty breach cases and litigated cases against a wide range of corporate giants. His clients consist primarily of consumers whose rights have been violated through unlawful business practices. Margarian earned his undergraduate degree Cum Laude from USC and his Juris Doctorate degree also from USC's prestigious Gould School of Law.
Margarian has recently been recognized by a nationwide bar association as one of its top 20 rising attorneys under the age of 40. Among his peers he has gaining recognition for being an aggressive yet respectable litigator with an unprecedented amount of inside knowledge of the automotive industry and an uncanny vigor to fight for consumer rights.
After nearly two years of litigation the parties have reached a settlement agreement wherein each affected class member will receive a free replacement of the high pressure fuel pump pursuant to an ongoing recall, plus payments ranging from $50 to $400 or an $800 BMW voucher. In his Objection, Margarian argues that these terms are inadequate as they undercut class members' rights pursuant to Federal and State Lemon Laws which entitled consumers to significant, if not full, refunds of all their payments when a vehicle is deemed to be defective. Furthermore, the settlement agreement not only circumvents these laws but also asks class members to waive their legal rights without being properly advised.
According to Margarian, the settlement class should be re-evaluated and divided into sub-categories consisting of class members who qualify for statutory Lemon Law repurchases, class members who qualify for significantly larger diminution of value damage awards, and class members who qualify for recoveries within a smaller range of sums. In total, Margarian requests that the total class recovery be increased from an estimated $42 million dollar sum pursuant to the average expected payout based on the settlement agreement to a whopping $1 billion and $140 million dollar sum.
Furthermore, Margarian requests to be certified as class co-counsel in these proceedings to contribute his expertise in determining a more fair and appropriate resolution for the class members. The Objection to the proposed class settlement in Nguyen v. BMW of North America, LLC, Case No. 3:10-cv-02257-SI, is scheduled for oral arguments in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California before the Honorable Susan Illston on March 16, 2012 in San Francisco, CA.
Hovanes Margarian, Esq. has been counsel on over one thousand consumer fraud and automobile warranty breach cases and litigated cases against a wide range of corporate giants. His clients consist primarily of consumers whose rights have been violated through unlawful business practices. Margarian earned his undergraduate degree Cum Laude from USC and his Juris Doctorate degree also from USC's prestigious Gould School of Law.
Margarian has recently been recognized by a nationwide bar association as one of its top 20 rising attorneys under the age of 40. Among his peers he has gaining recognition for being an aggressive yet respectable litigator with an unprecedented amount of inside knowledge of the automotive industry and an uncanny vigor to fight for consumer rights.
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