Russian-speaking fraudster sentenced to 9 years in prison for fraud with Medicare

Alexander Pikus, 48, a former manager of several medical clinics in Brooklyn and Queens, repeatedly convicted for health care conspiracy and tax fraud.

The New York man was resentenced on April 17 to nine years in prison and ordered to pay $39 million in restitution for his role in the tax evasion conspiracy. His previous conviction was overturned on appeal. An accountant from New York falsified declarations for $100 million - read about it in our material.

Picus and his associates, who operated a network of medical clinics in New York City, received approximately $96 million from the Medicare and Medicaid health insurance programs during their nearly decade of operation. Fraudsters attracted insured patients to clinics with the help of paid recruiters. This is an illegal practice. Pikus laundered the money received, which was not reported to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), with the help of companies controlled by him and his accomplices. Read about how an immigrant pretended to be a taxi driver and stole money in our ARTICLES.

On the subject: Woman lost $750 when buying a home in New York: scammers hacked into her lawyer's mail and sent her wrong details

Picus used the money for personal gain and to pay kickbacks to patient recruiters. They, in turn, paid beneficiaries for treatment at medical clinics.

More than 25 people were convicted or pleaded guilty for their participation in this criminal scheme. Among them are doctors, ambulance drivers and owners of shell companies, reports Slavicsac.

Pikus was found guilty in court in 2019. But his conviction was overturned on appeal. He was re-indicted in January 2023. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to obtain kickbacks and conspiracy to defraud the United States by obstructing the lawful functions of the IRS in May 2023.