Healthcare fraud and money laundering investigations in Ohio

Authorities in Ohio and federal investigators have uncovered extensive healthcare fraud and money laundering schemes targeting Medicaid and Medicare funds.

In one investigation, six Medicaid providers in Ohio were indicted for allegedly stealing $558,383 by inflating claims for foster care and after-school programs, or billing for services provided to deceased or hospitalized clients. Among those indicted is Rasheedah Biles, owner of Reset Tomorrow, who is accused of directing employees to inflate claims for children in after-school programs and foster care. This follows a previous indictment involving a central Ohio couple, Roberta Acheampong and Godfred Owusu-Sekyere, accused of defrauding the program of $9.3 million through their clinic, One Community Mental Health.

In a separate development related to ‘Operation Gold Rush,’ Eldar Zarbavel of Pepper Pike, Ohio, pleaded guilty to laundering approximately $3.4 million for a transnational criminal organization linked to Russia. This organization was involved in a multi-billion-dollar scheme targeting Medicare and private insurers. Zarbavel is the 16th individual convicted in an investigation that has resulted in 35 charges to date regarding the exploitation of the U.S. financial system through fraudulent medical equipment companies and shell corporations used to disguise the origin of stolen funds.