Florida Doctor Avoids Prison in $3.1M Medicare Fraud, Gets Probation and Home Confinement

BOSTON — A Florida-based doctor was sentenced Sept. 22, 2026, in federal court in Boston for making false statements in connection with a multi-million-dollar health care fraud scheme involving medically unnecessary genetic testing and durable medical equipment, authorities said.

Simon Grinshteyn, 52, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley to four years of probation with six months in home confinement and 400 hours of community service. He was also ordered to pay $3,160,809.43 in restitution.

The government had recommended a sentence of 18 months in prison followed by 18 months of supervised release.

Grinshteyn pleaded guilty in March 2026 to one count of making false statements relating to health care matters. He was charged in January 2026.

According to the press release, between February 2020 and June 2020, Grinshteyn worked with a purported telemedicine company to sign medical documentation, including doctors’ orders, for medically unnecessary genetic testing and DME.

The medical records and doctors’ orders Grinshteyn received and signed were pre-populated and made it appear that he was providing legitimate consultations to Medicare beneficiaries and had conducted examinations of the beneficiaries and/or would provide further medical care to them, authorities said.

Grinshteyn generally did not contact the beneficiaries himself and had no provider-patient relationship with them, according to the release.

DME suppliers and laboratories ultimately submitted claims to Medicare for these signed orders. As a result of Grinshteyn’s participation in the scheme, Medicare paid more than $3.1 million in claims for DME and genetic testing that were based on false documentation.

Fast Lab COO Admits $500M COVID-19 Test Billing Fraud, Agrees to Forfeit $4.3M

DETROIT — A Miami man who served as chief operating officer of a New York-based COVID-19 testing company has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud for his role in a nationwide scheme that submitted more than $500 million in fake claims to government-backed healthcare programs, federal authorities announced.

Hasan “Lucas” Seyhun, 45, of Miami, Florida, entered the plea, U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. for the Eastern District of Michigan announced.

According to court documents, Seyhun served as COO of Fast Lab Technologies, LLC, which offered individuals “no cost” Covid-19 tests during the pandemic that could be ordered online through the company’s website. Fast Lab then used customers’ insurance information to falsely bill for services that were never provided, including false claims that antigen tests had been observed by medical professionals, that saliva samples had been collected by medical personnel, and that PCR testing had been conducted on those samples.

In his plea agreement, Seyhun admitted that he conspired with previously charged defendants Cemhan “Jimmy” Biricik, Fast Lab’s CEO, and Dr. Martin Perlin, Fast Lab’s Medical Director, to carry out the scheme.

Seyhun also acknowledged that in his role as COO he orchestrated the submission of millions of dollars in fraudulent healthcare claims, resulting in at least $35 million in illicit payments. He agreed to a forfeiture money judgment in the amount of $4,313,153, representing the amount of money he personally received from the scheme.

“At a time when Americans were scared for their families and their futures, Hasan Seyhun saw an opportunity to turn a national crisis into his own personal payday,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. “Instead of providing the American people with the assistance they needed during a critical time, Seyhun and his colleagues exploited their trust, and lined their pockets from fraudulent insurance claims. The Fraud Division will not let up in its relentless pursuit of COVID era fraudsters.”

Gorgon said the scheme was especially egregious because it exploited the pandemic.

“Ripping off the American taxpayer is bad enough. Using the fear and isolation of the COVID pandemic to do it is sickening,” Gorgon said. “Not only did Seyhun and his co-conspirators defraud the American public of hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of fake services, but they were so confident in their scheme that they routinely submitted claims for payment before test kits were even delivered to the customer.”

Jennifer Runyan, special agent in charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office, said the magnitude of the scheme undermined public trust.

“A scheme of this magnitude undermines public trust and diverts critical healthcare dollars away from the people and programs who need it most. Today’s guilty plea is an important step toward accountability for conduct that resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars in fraudulent billings,” Runyan said. “The FBI will continue working with our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners to track down complex healthcare fraud schemes and hold those who conduct them fully accountable.”

Derek M. Holt, special agent in charge of the Office of Personnel Management Office of Inspector General, said laboratories that submit false claims put profit over patient care at taxpayers’ expense. Thomas Ethridge, special agent in charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, said the plea makes clear that exploiting a public health emergency for personal gain will be met with decisive action.

Todd Strom, acting special agent in charge of the Detroit Field Office for IRS Criminal Investigation, said the defendants were motivated by greed.

“All the defendants in this case had one thing in common – they were motivated by greed,” Strom said. “Their pursuit of money, and the privileges it brings, led Mr. Seyhun and his associates to take advantage of the healthcare system and misuse funds intended for COVID-19 testing. Thanks to the dedication and financial expertise of IRS-CI special agents, who worked closely with our law enforcement partners, this scheme was brought to light, and these criminals will now face the consequences of their actions.”

Gardner Man Admits Swapping Hospice Patients’ Oxycodone for Allergy and Thyroid Pills

WORCESTER — A Gardner man pleaded guilty in federal court in Worcester to tampering with opioids intended for hospice and memory care patients at a Fitchburg healthcare facility, federal authorities announced.

Andrew Milgrim, 41, pleaded guilty to one count of tampering with a consumer product. U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman scheduled sentencing for Jan. 7, 2027. Milgrim was charged in July 2026.

Beginning in or about September 2024 and continuing through in or about February 2025, Milgrim diverted Oxycodone from patients in the skilled nursing and dementia care units of a Fitchburg healthcare facility, according to authorities. He began by taking Oxycodone pills that were prescribed to be dispensed to certain patients “as needed.” Rather than provide the “as needed” doses to patients, Milgrim consumed the pills himself, authorities said.

Milgrim began taking 5 mg Oxycodone pills from various patients and replacing the diverted pills with Loratadine, an allergy medication whose appearance resembled the 5 mg Oxycodone pills, according to the release. In or around January 2025, Milgrim also diverted 10 mg Oxycodone pills from an elderly patient in the memory care unit and replaced those pills with Levothyroxine, a thyroid medication.

The charge of tampering with a consumer product provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.