WASHINGTON
Two California residents have pleaded guilty in a $16 million Medicare fraud and money laundering scheme involving sham hospice companies.
Karpis Srapyan, 35, of Winnetka, admitted to conspiring with Petros Fichidzhyan and Juan Carlos Esparza to bill Medicare for hospice services that were neither needed nor provided. The scheme used four fake hospice companies—one owned by Esparza, the others registered under foreign nationals but controlled by the conspirators.
To hide the fraud, the defendants stole doctors’ identities (including two deceased physicians), and used foreign nationals’ personal information to open bank accounts, lease properties, and submit Medicare claims. Medicare paid nearly $16 million to these bogus operations.
Srapyan also laundered roughly $3.2 million in fraud proceeds through accounts linked to the sham companies and foreign nationals.
His co-defendant, Susanna Harutyunyan, 39, also of Winnetka, admitted to helping launder money and knowingly spending illegal funds—including on a BMW.
Fraudulent IDs, financial documents, and credit cards were found in homes tied to Harutyunyan and her husband, Mihran Panosyan, another defendant.
Sentences & Charges:
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Srapyan: Pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and money laundering; faces up to 20 years; sentencing Oct. 6.
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Harutyunyan: Pleaded guilty to money laundering; faces up to 10 years and possible deportation; sentencing Nov. 17.
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Fichidzhyan: Previously sentenced to 12 years.
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Panosyan: Pleaded guilty; sentencing set for Sept. 8.
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Esparza: Change of plea hearing on July 14.
The FBI and the Office of the Inspector General at the Department of Health and Human Services are conducting an investigation.
Prosecutors are from the DOJ’s Criminal Division, specifically the Fraud Section, with asset forfeiture handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.