Man linked to Medi-Cal healthcare fraud arrested in El Centro

EL CENTRO, Calif. (KYMA) - A major healthcare fraud takedown, and investigators say the scheme may have ties to a man who owns a health care agency in Imperial County.

During a press conference, California Attorney General Rob Bonta said at least eight people are facing charges in what prosecutors call a $261 million Medi-Cal hospice fraud.

The suspects are accused of using stolen identities to enroll people in hospice care without their knowledge, and then billing Medi-Cal for services that were never provided.

Levon Darakchyan, the CEO of trusted care home health in El Centro, was taken into custody in Imperial County on April 8 on an out-of-county warrant. 

"We found that those involved in this fraud, in this scheme would purchase personal identifying information for people for people who live outside of California on the dark web."

The California Health and Human services secretary says the effort is part of a national crack down on fraud.

The process from investigation to arrest and charges often take years.

"As you heard, the scheme involved 14 fraudulent hospice providers operating as part of a transnational criminal network, mirroring broader fraud trends we are seeing across the country."

The state has not released full details of every location tied to the investigation, but say the case remains active.

Trusted Care in El Centro was not raided and no employees have been implicated.