WPBN: In response to claims that they were involved in a large plan to cheat Medicare and Medi-Cal programs, a couple from Southern California will pay a settlement amount of ten million dollars.
According to the California Department of Justice, Dr. Mohammad Rasekhi and his wife, Sheila Busheri, are accused of engaging in a kickback scheme through businesses that they operate and engaging in the submission of bogus healthcare claims.
The Southern California Medical Center is a collection of general practice clinics, and Rasekhi is the creator of the organization as well as the chief medical officer.
The group is led by his wife, who also holds the position of chief executive officer. In addition, the couple is co-owners of Universal Diagnostic Laboratories, which is a facility that does medical tests.
According to the records filed with the court, the medical organization was described as a “non-profit, Federally Qualified Health Center that provides healthcare services to underserved patient populations.”
It is believed that the initiatives were carried out between the years 2014 and 2021. Van Nuys, Pomona, Pico Rivera, Long Beach, El Monte, and Woodland Hills were some of the areas where Rasekhi had offices. These offices were spread out across the Southland. In Van Nuys was where the laboratory testing facility was situated.
It has been alleged that the pair has participated in fraudulent billing claims that were submitted to federal healthcare programs.
According to the allegations made by the prosecution, they compensated third-party marketers with illicit bribes in exchange for directing Medicare and Medi-Cal recipients to their clinics. Because of this action, the Anti-Kickback Statute was violated.
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In addition, officials stated that they are aware of the fact that they paid kickbacks to outside clinics in exchange for bringing patients to their laboratory testing facility.
These bribes included rent payments that were higher than the market rate, discounts on laboratory services for employees, and the cancellation of any outstanding balances.
The pair is accused of getting an excessive amount of payment from Medi-Cal as a result of following this strategy.
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Within the context of the settlement, the couple has reached an agreement to pay a total of $10 million, with the state of California receiving $4 million and the federal government receiving $6 million.
“When healthcare professionals exploit the Medi-Cal program, which is intended to help the state’s most vulnerable populations, they betray the very principles of the Hippocratic Oath and undermine a program designed to support the elderly, the ill, and those in need,” Attorney General Rob Bonta stated. “The alleged actions of Dr. Rasekhi not only broke the trust of his patients but also diverted essential resources away from vital healthcare services that benefit the community. My office is dedicated to ensuring that integrity and compassion guide the care provided through the Medi-Cal program.”
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Rasekhi gave up his medical license in December 2024, following the filing of an accusation against him by the Medical Board of California, which stated that he had sexually molested three women who were under his care, as reported by the Los Angeles Times.
According to a report, the pair has refuted all of the charges, and Rasekhi has decided to abandon his medical career and forego his right to a hearing rather than continue to defend himself against the allegations.
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