Indictments in Major Health Care Fraud Case in New Hampshire
This week, four individuals in New Hampshire have been indicted for their alleged involvement in a large-scale health care fraud and money laundering scheme, which reportedly totals around $3 billion.
Fructoso de Jesus Gomez Agudelo, 76, from Nashua, faces charges of wire fraud and identity theft. Meanwhile, Kaka Bendeliani, 48, and Goga Danelia, 31, both from Georgia, have been charged with conspiring to submit false claims to Medicare and participate in money laundering.
Authorities suggest that both Bendeliani and Danelia may have connections to a Russian crime organization involved in one of the largest identity fraud cases ever brought to court.
The inquiry was initiated after numerous individuals, including seniors and those with disabilities, reached out to Medicare regarding their Explanation of Benefits (EOB). Many of these people discovered that they had been billed for durable medical equipment (DME) they neither ordered nor received.
According to prosecutors, this criminal network orchestrated a vast health care fraud operation to siphon funds from Medicare, various government health insurance programs, and private insurers. Erin Creegan, the U.S. Attorney for New Hampshire, highlighted how these indictments reveal the scale of fraud perpetrated by transnational criminal organizations against the health care system.
Additionally, Rima Gerges Maalouf, 60, from Massachusetts, was charged with diverting controlled prescription drugs while working as a pharmacist in New Hampshire. Investigators claim she opened drug capsules to steal the powdered medication within.
Agudelo is accused of impersonating U.S. citizens over a span of more than two decades, resulting in defrauding public assistance programs—including Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security—out of over $500,000.
Bendeliani allegedly acted as the “named owner” of a fraudulent company named Centennial Med Supply LLC, where he permitted others to misuse his personal data to establish businesses and open multiple bank accounts. It’s reported that he withdrew more than $12.5 million from fraudulent Medicare payments generated from a broader $3 billion urinary catheter billing scam.
Justice Department officials labeled Danelia as Bendeliani’s primary accomplice. They contend that, due to Bendeliani’s limitations in English and driving, Danelia assisted him in navigating U.S. banks and handling various transactions.
Moreover, Gerges Maalouf is suspected of stealing prescription drugs during her temporary role in a New Hampshire pharmacy, keeping them for personal use. Over a month, she allegedly took 147 pills or capsules belonging to patients in need.
If convicted, all four could face lengthy prison sentences.
