Roshanak Khadem, 54, of Sherman Oaks, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and one count of subscribing to a false income tax return according to the U.S. Attorney’s office in Los Angeles.
Khadem owned and operated facilities such as R&R; Med Spa in Valley Village and Nu-Me Aesthetic and Anti-Aging Center in Woodland Hills that provided clients with cosmetic procedures. From January 2012 to April 2016, Khadem knew the services procured by clients were not covered by patients’ health insurance, according to the attorney’s office.
Khadem also knew that her employees told patients that if they provided their health insurance information, patients could receive free or discounted cosmetic procedures in accordance with a “credit” they would earn.
Insurance information from the patients was provided to the insurance biller for the Khadem-owned clinics, knowing and intending that the information would be used to submit false and fraudulent claims to the health insurers for medical procedures that Khadem knew were either not provided to the patients or were not medically necessary, a news release said.
From January 2012 to April 2016, Khadem and co-conspirators submitted claims, which included false and fraudulent claims for which companies paid out at least $1,361,200, according to the Justice Department. Prosecutors estimate the amounts paid based on false and fraudulent claims could be as much as $7,991,406.
United States District Judge Stephen V. Wilson scheduled a sentencing hearing on June 27. Khadem could face a statutory maximum sentence of 13 years in federal prison.
The remaining four defendants each have pleaded guilty. Lucine Ilangezyan, 42, of North Hills, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison. Gary Jizmejian, 48, of Santa Clarita, was also sentenced to 18 months in federal prison. Dr. Roberto Mariano, 63, of Rancho Cucamonga, a physician who helped operate the clinics, and Marina Sarkisyan, 52, of Panorama City, who was the office manager at the clinics, await sentencing.