HOUSTON – A ruthless Medicare fraud conspiracy masterminded by Zaven ‘George’ Sarkisian, 55, of Fresno, California, has reached its grim conclusion with the defendant being sentenced to the statutory maximum of ten years in federal prison. The charges stem from an elaborate scheme involving diagnostic testing labs that bilked millions out of the U.S. Medicare system.
Sarkisian and his co-conspirator, Konna Hanks, 48, of Houston, were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Keith P. Ellison for their roles in a fraud that caused more than $4 million in losses to Medicare. Sarkisian was also hit with enhancements for obstruction of investigation, leadership role, abuse of trust, and sophisticated means.
“The sentence imposed today demonstrates the gravity of Sarkisian’s actions,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Abe Martinez. “He created an elaborate scheme and used others to bilk millions out of Medicare even after they attempted to cut his federal funding.”
Sarkisian, who formed 11 diagnostic testing clinics from 2012 to 2014, ordered unnecessary tests for each patient, instructing others to ensure that all had pre-existing health problems. Hanks, a marketer, paid Medicare beneficiaries $80 to $100 to attend the clinics and use their numbers for fraudulent billing.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI Health Care Fraud Task Force, Texas Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, and the Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Chu and Jason Smith are prosecuting the case.
Following his sentencing today, Sarkisian was taken into custody pending transfer to a federal prison facility. Hanks, who had previously been on bond but violated her release conditions, has also been ordered into custody. Two others, Darryl Johnson and Hmyak ‘Hamlet’ Samsonyan, await their sentences.
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Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes|Public Corruption
- Source: Official Source ↗
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