Category: MIL-OSI

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

A jury in the Central District of California convicted a California doctor yesterday in a $45 million scheme to defraud Medicare by submitting claims for Botox injections that were never provided and medically unnecessary, and for obstructing the investigation by manipulating and altering medical records in an attempt to mislead criminal investigators. The investigation was initiated as a result of a referral from the Health Care Fraud Section’s Data Analytics Team, after its analysis showed that the defendant was paid more by Medicare for Botox injections than any other doctor in the United States.

“Violetta Mailyan falsely diagnosed patients, fraudulently billed for Botox injections while she was actually on lavish vacations, and tried to trick federal agents with fake records,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division. “The Fraud Division’s data-driven approach will shine a light on fraud schemes across the country, ensuring that no doctor can engage in these types of brazen schemes to rob Medicare.”

“Let this conviction serve as a warning: anyone who leverages their medical authority to defraud Medicare will be caught and held accountable,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Scott J. Lampert of the Health and Human Servics Office of Inspector General (HHS‑OIG). “This defendant’s actions were a blatant betrayal of patients and the public trust. HHS‑OIG will stay relentless in protecting federal health care programs from those who seek to exploit them.”

“Physicians who defraud and manipulate federally funded health care programs to line their own pockets do so at the expense of American taxpayers and those who are in legitimate need of medical procedures,” said Assistant Director in Charge Patrick Grandy of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “The FBI is gratified that the jury convicted Dr. Mailyan based on the evidence, which uncovered the largest Botox fraud scheme in the United States, to include brazenly billing for someone who was incarcerated. Furthermore, the FBI is committed to pursuing physicians and others in the healthcare system who fleece Medicare and, in doing so, drive up premiums and co-payments for law-abiding citizens.”

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Violetta Mailyan, 45, of Glendale, owned and operated Healthy Way Medical Center, a clinic that purported to provide beauty and cosmetic services. Although Medicare reimburses medical providers for Botox injections when necessary to treat documented cases of chronic migraines, Mailyan billed and received payments for thousands of injections that were never provided or were provided only for cosmetic purposes or for patients whose primary care physicians had not referred them for treatment of chronic migraines. For example, the evidence at trial showed that Mailyan billed for providing Botox injections when she was actually on vacation in Cabo, Mexico; Maui, Hawaii; Las Vegas; Pennsylvania; and New York; billed for purportedly injecting a Medicare beneficiary who was actually incarcerated in federal prison at the time; and billed for thousands of injections, representing over $19 million, purportedly provided on days when her clinic was closed. The evidence also showed that Mailyan backdated some claims to bill for injections purportedly provided before the patients even contacted Mailyan’s clinic to request an appointment, and fabricated patient medical records, including patient consent forms, to make it appear as if patients suffered from chronic migraines and had received treatment for those migraines in her office.

In addition to the fraudulent billing, the evidence at trial showed that Mailyan actively sought to cover up her crimes when investigators were closing in. After receiving a grand jury subpoena seeking medical records, Mailyan altered patient records to make it appear as if she had provided Botox injections for chronic migraines when in fact those services had not been provided, and provided the altered documents to federal agents.

The evidence at trial showed that Mailyan used Medicare funds she obtained through the scheme to pay for her lavish vacations in Mexico, Hawaii, and elsewhere, and to purchase luxury collectible goods such as a $12,000 17th century crossbow and a $3,000 painting, depicted below:

This prosecution illustrates the success of the Department’s efforts to use advanced data analytics to detect health care fraud schemes and bring the perpetrators to justice. The Health Care Fraud Section’s Data Analytics Team identified Mailyan as an extreme outlier among doctors receiving Medicare payments for Botox, having at the time been paid more than $24 million over the previous four years — six times the next highest group of providers, all of whom were neurologists. As the investigation and evidence presented at trial showed, Mailyan’s outlier status owed entirely to her pervasive and long-running fraud scheme. 

Following the conviction, the jury also found that a Tesla Model X, a Tesla Cybertruck, $251,124  in funds contained in multiple bank accounts, brokerage accounts valued at $7,312,037 at the time of seizure, and four properties in Surfside and Glendale, California with combined estimated equity of $7,343,636, were proceeds of the fraud subject to forfeiture. The Cybertruck seized from Mailyan is shown below:

Mailyan was convicted of nine counts of wire fraud and three counts of obstruction of a criminal investigation of a health care offense. She is scheduled to be sentenced on September 10, 2026. She faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count of wire fraud and 5 years in prison for each count of obstruction. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Trial Attorneys Sandor Callahan and Jeffrey A. Crapko of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case. FBI and HHS-OIG investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara Vavere of the Central District of California’s Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section is handling asset forfeiture matters.

On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the Fraud Division. The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.

The Department of Justice’s Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in federal districts across the country, has charged more than 6,200 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion since 2007. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that  Juan Omar Gonazlez-Guzman, 24, Abel Joshua Thomas, 41, Paris Kayla Gonazles, 33, Karla Lyn Cipares, 46, Diego Yair Hernandez-Barbizani, 24, Pedro Carrillo-Hernandez, 29, Diana Victoria Amador-Rodriguez, 31, and Dustin Gary Trujillo, 38, who all resided in the Denver metro area, and an unidentified individual, are charged in an indictment containing seventeen counts of possession and distribution of fentanyl, possession and distribution of methamphetamine, possession and distribution of cocaine, and possession and distribution of heroin, and a conspiracy to commit the same. Hernandez-Barbizani faces one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.  Thomas, Cipares, Hernandez-Barbizani, Amador-Rodriguez, and the unidentified individual are also charged with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle announced today that NERI OSBELI ARGUETA-CHUN (“ARGUETA-CHUN”), age 33, a native of Guatemala, pleaded guilty on May 14, 2026 for illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a) and Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(b)(1). His sentencing is set before U.S. District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown on September 3, 2026.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

WASHINGTON — The Department of Justice Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism today announced the launch of a 15-city National Awareness & Action Tour to combat antisemitism.  The nationwide initiative reflects President Donald Trump’s unprecedented campaign to confront antisemitism across America. President Trump declared war on antisemitism in a way no other president has done. His actions include Executive Orders 13899 (Combating Anti-Semitism) and 14188 (Additional Measures to Combat Anti-Semitism).  As the agency that enforces the nation’s civil rights laws, the Department of Justice is committed to carrying out that mission.

The goals of the tour include:

• Increasing reporting of antisemitic incidents by local officials;
• Strengthening collaboration between local law enforcement, federal agencies, and Jewish communities;
• Strengthening broad interfaith opposition to antisemitism among Jewish, Baptist Christian, Catholic, and Muslim communities; and
• Addressing antisemitism in K-12 schools and teacher unions to ensure students are protected from discrimination and harassment.

“President Trump has made clear that this Administration will not tolerate antisemitism, and the Department of Justice is committed to implementing that directive,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche.  “This national tour is an important step in ensuring communities across the country know the federal government stands ready to work with them to confront antisemitic threats, protect public safety, and uphold civil rights.”

Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward, who oversees key civil enforcement components and respect for religious liberty in litigation, emphasized the Department of Justice’s commitment to protecting Americans from unlawful discrimination and antisemitic threats.

“Jewish Americans deserve to live, work, worship, and send their children to school without fear of harassment, intimidation, or violence,” said Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward.  “Under President Trump’s leadership, the Department of Justice is taking a far more serious and coordinated approach to combating antisemitism than Americans have seen in years. This Committee will help ensure the federal government remains focused, proactive, and relentless in protecting civil rights and confronting antisemitic discrimination wherever it appears.”

Leo Terrell, Chair of the DOJ Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism, will lead the Tour.  He will meet with individuals and local communities impacted by antisemitism and work to identify practical solutions to combat antisemitism at the local level.

Follow @TheJusticeDept, @DAGToddBlanche, @ASGWoodward, and @LeoTerrellDOJ for updates. If you have been discriminated against, you can file a complaint with the Civil Rights Division at civilrights.justice.gov. President Trump’s Executive Order can be found at www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/additional-measures-to-combat-anti-semitism/.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

WASHINGTON — The Department of Justice today announced continued efforts to combat antisemitism nationwide through the forthcoming launch of the Anti-Semitism Advisory Committee (ASAC), a new advisory body that will provide recommendations to the Attorney General and the Department of Justice on strategies to address the rising tide of antisemitism across the United States.  The initiative builds on President Donald Trump’s historic and unwavering efforts to combat antisemitism, including his directive that the federal government use every available legal tool to protect Jewish Americans and confront antisemitic discrimination and violence.

The Committee will support the United States’ policy to combat antisemitism vigorously, consistent with Executive Orders 13899 (Combating Anti-Semitism) and 14188 (Additional Measures to Combat Anti-Semitism), while furthering the Department of Justice’s mission to protect civil rights.

“President Trump has made combating antisemitism a top priority for this Administration, and we thank Leo Terrell for his leadership at the Department of Justice in helping to carry out this mission,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Protecting civil rights of every American remains a core responsibility of the Department of Justice.”

Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward, who has supervisory responsibility for overseeing the Department’s respect for religious liberty in litigation, emphasized the Department of Justice’s commitment to protecting Americans from unlawful discrimination and antisemitic threats.

“President Trump has made combating antisemitism a national priority because no American should live in fear because of their faith,” said Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward.  “This Administration is using every tool available to confront antisemitic threats, support local communities, and ensure that radical activists and violent extremists do not intimidate law-abiding Americans.  The Department of Justice will act aggressively to protect civil rights and uphold public safety.”

Leo Terrell, Chair of the DOJ Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism, will lead the ASAC. The Committee will provide advice and recommendations to the Attorney General and Department of Justice leadership on coordinated, timely, and effective responses to antisemitism.

The ASAC will consist of citizen leaders dedicated to combatting antisemitism, subject to approval by the President.  Members will come from a wide range of backgrounds but share a common goal of developing innovative solutions to address antisemitism across the country.

Follow @TheJusticeDept, @DAGToddBlanche, @ASGWoodward, and @LeoTerrellDOJ for updates.

If you have been discriminated against, you can file a complaint with the Civil Rights Division at civilrights.justice.gov. President Trump’s Executive Order can be found at www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/additional-measures-to-combat-anti-semitism/.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

MACON, Ga. – Three more members of an armed drug trafficking organization have been sentenced to federal prison for distributing large quantities of drugs in Macon because of Operation Mobile Order, a coordinated investigation led by the FBI and the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, Anthony Santamaria was sentenced by United States District Judge William F. Kuntz II to 120 months’ imprisonment for his participation in an approximately $2 billion international health care fraud conspiracy.  Santamaria is the third member of a Moscow-based criminal organization sentenced this month in connection with the scheme.  Co-defendants Hershel Tsikman and Hafizullah Ebady were sentenced earlier this month to 120 months’ and 97 months’ imprisonment, respectively.  In addition to the terms of imprisonment, Judge Kuntz ordered Santamaria to forfeit $3.2 million and Ebady to forfeit more than $1.8 million. Additionally, all three defendants were ordered to pay restitution to their victims in an amount to be determined at a later date.  A fourth defendant, Dela Saidazim, was sentenced to time served in December 2022. Three additional co-defendants, David Bishoff, Brycen Millett and Joshua Alegria, are awaiting sentencing.  An eighth co-defendant and the leader of the criminal organization, Brian Sutton, a U.S. citizen who is believed to be residing abroad, remains at large.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – TEVIN BORNES (“BORNES”), age 32, was sentenced on May 13, 2026, by United States District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo to 160 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, along with a $100 mandatory special assessment fee per count, announced Untied States Attorney David I. Courcelle.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

Defendants’ Organization Billed Nearly $2 Billion in Fraudulent Prescriptions from Over 75 Pharmacies Nationwide Including in Brooklyn, Staten Island, Long Island and New Jersey