Man Accused in $90 Million Medicare Scam for Filing Fake Claims for Medical Equipment ‘Not Authorized by Doctors’

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has uncovered a fraudulent health care scheme that allegedly cost the government $90 million. Anar Rustamov, an alleged illegal immigrant from Azerbaijan, has been accused of filing thousands of false claims for medical equipment through the Medicare Advantage program.

Rustamov, 38, allegedly orchestrated a large-scale scheme targeting federal health care funds. According to the DOJ, Rustamov created a company called Dublin Helping Hand to submit fraudulent claims worth millions of dollars to Medicare Advantage organizations.

The scheme was carried out between October 2024 and June 2025. During the time, Rustamov allegedly filed false claims for medical equipment such as blood glucose monitors and orthotic braces, which were never provided, were not medically necessary, or were not authorized by doctors.

In April 2025, a $49 million claim was submitted through Dublin Helping Hand. Investigators said the scheme targeted unsuspecting Medicare beneficiaries whose identities were used without authorization. In total, claims worth $90 million were submitted for equipment that was never provided.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigated the case, and Rustamov was eventually indicted on 14 counts, including healthcare fraud and money laundering.

Authorities said, the accused is on the run and has not yet been taken into custody. After entering the U.S. from Azerbaijan, he reportedly resided in Sunnyvale, California. If convicted, he will face up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up up to $250,000 for each count.

Announcing the indictment, U.S. Attorney Craig H. Missakian said, “When the administration declared a War on Fraud, it meant to target exactly this kind of conduct. Rustamov participated in a scheme to steal nearly $100 million in taxpayer funds from a program intended to help those who truly need medical care.”

“Anyone who believes they can make easy money by defrauding such programs should know that we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to identify, investigate, and prosecute such fraud and abuse,” he said.

The case is one of the many healthcare fraud schemes uncovered in recent months. Minnesota’s Medicaid system is already facing a crisis amid an investigation into a large-scale fraud in which service providers reportedly billed millions of dollars for services that were never actually rendered.

In June 2025, the DOJ’s National Health Care Fraud Takedown estimated that $14.6 billion had been lost to medical scams nationwide. The department filed charges against 324 defendants in connection with the fraud.

Talking about how the government will keep tracking down fraudsters, including Rustamov, Acting Special Agent in Charge Matt Cobo said, “The FBI and our partners will continue to aggressively pursue individuals who attempt to defraud these vital programs and hold them accountable.”