California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced the arrests of 14 individuals who were charged in San Bernardino County Superior Court in connection with two hospice companies accused of stealing more than $4.2 million from the federal Medicare and state Medi-Cal programs. Based in San Bernardino County, New Hope Hospice, Inc. and Sterling Hospice Care, Inc. enrolled patients who were not terminally ill into hospice care, many of whom told investigators that they were enrolled without their knowledge or understanding of what hospice was. All of the arrested defendants face multiple felony counts including conspiracy to commit insurance fraud, insurance fraud, grand theft, and fraudulent insurance claims, with some defendants also facing charges related to identity theft, money laundering, and tax evasion. Two defendants remain at large.
