Dearborn Heights Doctor Pleads Guilty to $925,000 Fraud Scheme

DETROIT – A Dearborn Heights doctor pleaded guilty today to defrauding Medicare of more than $925,000 in health care payments, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.

Ison was joined in the announcement by Mario Pinto, Special Agent in Charge, United States Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General, and James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Fares Yasin, age 59, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Stephen J. Murphy, III. According to court records, Yasin operated Michigan Home Visiting Physicians, in Dearborn, Michigan. Beginning in January 2015, Yasin was suspended from submitting claims to Medicare for any services that he rendered.  However, during his suspension, Yasin continued to treat Medicare beneficiaries, and then he fraudulently submitted claims to Medicare utilizing the names and identification numbers of other doctors, including co-defendant Nura Yasin, in order to receive reimbursement for the services he rendered.

As part of the guilty plea, Yasin agreed to forfeit approximately $367,000 in cash seized by federal agents during the course of the investigation.

A sentencing hearing is set for September 14, 2023.  Yasin faces up to ten years in federal prison.

“After being banned from submitting claims to Medicare, this doctor defrauded the government to continue receiving Medicare reimbursements.” stated U.S. Attorney Ison.  “Physicians occupy a  position of trust in our community, and my office remains committed to prosecuting medical providers who abuse that trust and steal taxpayer dollars.”

“Fares Yasin abused his position of trust by treating patients while on suspension and continuing to file claims with Medicare,” said James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners are dedicated to pursuing providers who disregard medical and regulatory requirements in order to line their own pockets.”

"Not only did this provider continue to submit claims to Medicare after being suspended from Federal health care programs; he also used his patients' information to try and steal from those programs," said Mario M. Pinto, Special Agent in Charge at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). "HHS-OIG will continue in our efforts to identify and investigate those who violate the privacy and trust of their patients and steal from taxpayers for selfish financial gain."

This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Wayne Pratt and Alison Furtaw.