A Cincinnati-based healthcare staffing company has agreed to pay $9.25 million and to pledge an additional $8 million for related healthcare projects to resolve civil and criminal investigations into the company’s visa sponsorship program. Health Carousel, LLC, is a privately held healthcare staffing company that offers workforce placements for healthcare professionals. Health Carousel recruits healthcare professionals including nurses and physical therapists who are foreign nationals to come to the United States to work through Passport USA, and the staffing company sponsors the individuals’ visa applications. The global resolution resolves criminal fraud and civil False Claims Act allegations that Health Carousel submitted false visa immigrant applications and caused false statements to be made to government officials while recruiting nurses, physical therapists, and other healthcare professionals to the United States. The allegations included that Health Carousel provided fraudulent job placement letters so that visas would be approved more quickly, even though individuals had not yet been placed with a specific healthcare facility. As part of reaching a global resolution, the company has performed extensive remedial measures to address compliance gaps and pledged an additional $8 million to address harm caused by its prior practices.
