Azerbaijan Man Charged with Healthcare Fraud in California

A 38-year-old man from Azerbaijan has been charged in California for his role in a significant healthcare fraud scheme, amid other similar incidents affecting the state.

Anar Rustamov, believed by authorities to have entered the U.S. unlawfully, faces charges filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California. His scheme involved fraudulent claims related to the Medicare Advantage program, as announced recently.

Rustamov has been accused of committing “health care fraud in a scheme involving thousands of false claims for medical equipment,” with the total exceeding $90 million.

Previously residing in Sunnyvale in the Bay Area, Rustamov allegedly took part in submitting thousands of fraudulent claims to Medicare Advantage Organizations (MAOs) on behalf of unaware beneficiaries for items like blood sugar monitors and orthotic devices.

According to the indictment, which alleges that the fraud occurred from October 2024 to June 2025, Rustamov operated through an organization he set up, named “Dublin Helping Hand.” He allegedly submitted large amounts of claims to MAOs, which provide Medicare Part C benefits. The claims were for medical equipment that was neither provided nor necessary for patients, and not authorized by healthcare providers. Furthermore, the patients who were mentioned in these claims were reportedly unaware of the submissions, and the referral providers did not approve them. Rustamov is currently on the run.

Breitbart News has reported on similar fraud issues in California, mentioning a recent investigation by CBS national correspondent Adam Yamaguchi, who pointed out that the hospice industry is particularly vulnerable to such fraudulent activities, resulting in significant losses for taxpayers.

Additionally, citizen journalist Nick Shirley recently traveled to California and reportedly found over $170 million lost in fraudulent taxpayer-funded child care and home health programs.

Further concerns include suspected hospice care fraud at the Meravi Professional Medical Plaza in Los Angeles, which has 89 licensed hospice companies. Patient advocate Sheila Clark highlighted this location as a prime example of financial exploitation of taxpayer-funded programs like Medicare and Medicaid.

About Rustamov’s case, U.S. Attorney Craig H. Misakian stated, “When the government declared war on fraud, it meant targeting exactly this type of behavior. Anyone thinking easy money can be made through defrauding these programs should be aware that we will continue working with law enforcement to identify and investigate such fraud.”