Feds Charge 15 in $1.8B Southern California Medical Fraud Sweep

Federal agents conducted pre-dawn raids across Southern California on Thursday as the Justice Department charged 15 people in an alleged healthcare fraud network that prosecutors say stole nearly $2 billion. Authorities allege the defendants used sham addiction treatment programs, medically unnecessary surgeries, and fraudulent hospice services to submit approximately $1.8 billion in false claims to government and private insurers. The case includes what prosecutors called the largest sober home fraud scheme ever prosecuted by the department, and a scheme tied to unnecessary invasive procedures detected through data analytics. Among the charged are Dr. Harold Tabaie, 78, a cardiothoracic surgeon from Anaheim, and Hany Malek, 61, a Tarzana chiropractor. Prosecutors allege a $135 million Medicare scheme involving unnecessary atherectomies and that Malek allegedly misrepresented himself as a physician. The sweep also includes separate alleged substance abuse treatment fraud charges.