A Southern California nurse has been indicted for hospice fraud worth millions of dollars in Fresno and Kern counties.
A federal grand jury returned a six-count indictment charging Jessa Zayas, 34, with healthcare fraud and aggravated identity theft for submitting millions of dollars of fraudulent claims for hospice care to Medicare.
The big picture: Zayas was the CEO and owner of Healing Hands Hospice and Humane Love Hospice, which are based in Van Nuys.
- Zayas had the hospice organizations fraudulently bill Medicare for hospice care supposedly provided to over 100 people who were not actually terminally ill.
- In total, Zayas caused at least $2.5 million in fraudulent billings to Medicare.
- Zayas and others obtained personal Medicare information from the supposed hospice patients by going to retirement homes in Fresno and Kern Counties after hours when most of the managers were gone for the day, individually asking people for their information.
- The FBI and Homeland Security arrested Zayas and executed a search warrant at her home last week, seizing $77,000 in cash that she had hidden underneath her bed.
What we’re watching: If convicted, Zayas faces a maximum of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the healthcare fraud charge.
- Zayas also faces an additional mandatory two years in prison for the aggravated identity theft charge.
