Four charged in alleged billion dollar healthcare fraud tied to Russian transnational criminal organization

Four people in New Hampshire have been charged for their alleged roles in a long-running, $3 billion healthcare fraud and money laundering operation, prosecutors announced this week.

Fructoso de Jesus Gomez Agudelo, 76, of Nashua, is charged with wire fraud and accused of stealing another person’s identity.

Kakha Bendeliani, 48, and Goga Danelia, 31, both from the country of Georgia, were charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering by submitting fraudulent claims to Medicare.

Bendeliani and Danelia allegedly laundered proceeds for a Russian transnational criminal organization that participated in the largest identity theft-driven healthcare fraud scheme ever prosecuted, authorities said.

The investigation began after thousands of people, including the elderly and those with disabilities, contacted Medicare after receiving Explanation of Benefits (EOB) forms. The forms indicated they had received durable medical equipment (DME) that they never actually ordered or received.

MULTIBILLION-DOLLAR HEALTHCARE FRAUD SCHEME INCLUDED GIVING PEOPLE ‘UNNECESSARY’ SKIN GRAFTS: DOJ

The criminal network orchestrated the multi-billion-dollar healthcare fraud and money laundering scheme that sought to steal from Medicare, other government-sponsored health insurance programs and private health insurance companies, prosecutors said.

“These charges expose the staggering scale of fraud and money laundering that Transnational Criminal Organizations are willing to inflict on our health care system and the people of New Hampshire,” Erin Creegan, U.S. attorney for the District of New Hampshire, said of the charges against Danelia and Bendeliani.

Separately, Rima Gerges-Maalouf, 60, of Massachusetts, was charged with diverting controlled prescription drugs while working as a pharmacist in New Hampshire. Investigators accused her of opening up drug capsules to steal the powdered medication inside.

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The indictments allege a wide variety of fraud.

Agudelo allegedly stole and assumed the identity of a U.S. citizen for over 20 years, using the stolen persona to apply for and steal over $500,000 in public assistance — including Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, housing and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.

Meanwhile, Bendeliani allegedly acted as the “nominee owner” of a fraudulent medical equipment front company called Centennial Med Supply LLC. He allegedly allowed others to use his personal information to buy the business and set up bank accounts across six U.S. banks.

He then allegedly withdrew $12,589,770 in fraudulent Medicare payouts derived from a massive $3 billion urinary catheter billing scam. He used cashier’s checks to hide the money’s origin before wiring more than $12.5 million to overseas accounts.

HOSPICE FRAUD USES STOLEN IDENTITIES FOR FAKE PATIENTS

Danelia was Bendeliani’s primary accomplice, the Justice Department said.

Since Bendeliani did not speak fluent English or drive, Danelia allegedly provided driving and English translation services to help him navigate U.S. banks.

Danelia also helped Bendeliani open accounts, withdraw the fraudulent cash via cashier’s checks and move it into secondary accounts. The funds were ultimately wired out of the U.S., authorities said.

While working as a temporary, per diem pharmacist at a pharmacy in New Hampshire in August 2024, Gerges-Maalouf also allegedly stole prescription pills and capsule medication powders meant for sick patients.

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She kept the medication and ingested some of the stolen drugs while actively on duty, according to the DOJ. In total, she is accused of stealing 147 pills or capsules of controlled substances in a single month.

All four suspects face decades in prison if convicted.