Two Los Angeles-area residents were arrested on Wednesday on a 24-count federal grand jury indictment accusing them of engaging in a scheme to defraud Medicare out of more than $54 million for hospice and diagnostic services that were never provided.
The man and woman allegedly laundered the proceeds, including by purchasing millions of dollars’ worth of gold bars and coins, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Sophia Shaklian, 36, of Los Angeles’ Larchmont area, and Alex Alexsanian, 47, of Burbank were arrested early Wednesday morning.
Shaklian is charged with four counts of transactional money laundering and 16 counts of health care fraud. Alexsanian is charged with one count of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments and three counts of concealment money laundering.
Shaklian often used aliases, and managed and submitted claims for seven health care providers enrolled with Medicare within Los Angeles County, according to the indictment that a federal grand jury returned on Oct. 2.
The businesses included a hospice company she owned in Pasadena, Chateau d’Lumina Hospice and Palliative Care; and diagnostic testing companies Saint Gorge Radiology in Sylmar; Hope Diagnostics in North Hollywood; Direct Imaging & Diagnostics and Lab One, both in Hollywood; and Labtech and Lifescan Diagnostics in Claremont.
From March 2019 to August 2024, the listed companies allegedly submitted more than $54 million worth in fraudulent claims to Medicare for services that were not provided and not needed, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. Shaklian and Alexsanian received more than $23 million in total for those fraudulent claims, prosecutors said.
Shaklian faces a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison for each count of health care fraud and up to 20 years in federal prison for each count of money laundering, if found guilty. And Alexsanian would face up to 20 years in federal prison for each money laundering count he’s accused of.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General and the FBI are investigating the case.
Related Articles
Bel Air man arrested, accused of violating U.S. sanctions against Iran in $2.4 million scheme
Former FTX executive Caroline Ellison sentenced to 2 years in prison for fraud
Medical director of Van Nuys company sentenced in $2.8M hospice fraud scheme
Disbarred legal heavyweight Tom Girardi convicted of fraud over 10-year Ponzi scheme
Jury hears closing arguments in case of ‘RHOBH’ husband Tom Girardi