Operator of Purported Durable Medical Equipment Providers Pleads Guilty to Health Care Fraud Charges for Role in Fraud Scheme

Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Suzanna Meliksetyan, an operator of multiple purported durable medical equipment (DME) companies pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud for her role in a scheme to defraud Healthfirst, a non-profit, New York-based health maintenance organization that administers Medicare Advantage plans and New York Medicaid Managed Care plans.  The proceeding was held before United States District Judge Allyne R. Ross.

Bridget M. Rohde, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Kenneth A. Blanco, Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Scott J. Lampert, Special Agent-in-Charge, United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General’s (HHS OIG), Office of Investigations, announced the guilty plea.

As part of her guilty plea, Meliksetyan admitted that she operated a series of purported DME companies that did not in fact provide equipment to any beneficiaries.  The defendant further admitted that she and others called Healthfirst, pretending to represent vendors in Healthfirst’s network.  The companies Meliksetyan operated submitted almost $1 million in false claims to Healthfirst.

This case was investigated by the FBI and HHS OIG.  Trial Attorney Andrew Estes of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section is prosecuting the case. 

Defendant:

SUZANNA MELIKSETYAN

Age: 28

Residence: Gaithersburg, Maryland

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 17-CR-351 (ARR)