Kathmandu. Indian-origin pharma tycoon Tanmay Sharma has been arrested in the US for allegedly duping people of billions of rupees in healthcare. Sharma, who lives in the US, was arrested from Los Angeles International Airport.
The founder and former CEO of Sovereign Health Group has been accused of defrauding $149 million (about Rs 20.5 billion) of health care. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Central District of California, Sovereign Health Group used a deceptive strategy to trick patients into insurance plans without their knowledge.
The California Central District has charged Sharma with four counts of wire fraud, one of conspiracy and eight counts of illegal commissioning for three clinical treatment facilities. Sharma’s company Sovereign Health Group has cheated the insurance company of $ 29 million (about Rs 4 billion) by submitting a bill for unauthorized urine analysis test. In addition, Tanmay paid an illegal commission of $ 21 million (about Rs 2.88 billion) while referring patients. Sharma and his co-accused Paul Jean-Sen Khor had forged a fake deal to hide these payments.
Meanwhile, co-defendant Paul Jin Sen Khor was also arrested in the case and pleaded not guilty. His case is scheduled for July 29.
According to a report in NBC Los Angeles, the investigation against Tanmay’s company Sovereign Health Group, which runs drug treatment centers in Southern California and several other states, began in June 2017. During this time, the FBI raided the company’s treatment centers, San Clemente headquarters and Sharma’s San Juan Capistrano residence. The company was closed in 2018.
Tanmay Sharma is an internationally recognized research psychologist. Who have done remarkable research on brain function and human behavior in schizophrenia and mental illness.
