Indian-origin pharma tycoon Tanmay Sharma has been apprehended by authorities at Los Angeles International Airport. The founder and former CEO of Sovereign Health Group is accused of involvement in a $149 million healthcare fraud.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California, 'Sovereign Health Group engaged in deceptive practices, enrolling patients in fraudulent insurance plans without their knowledge.'
Charges against Sharma include four counts of wire fraud, one of conspiracy, and eight serious allegations related to illegal kickbacks for clinical treatment facilities. Sovereign Health Group allegedly billed insurers over $29 million for unauthorized urinalysis tests.
Payments of Illegal Kickbacks
Sharma also reportedly paid over $21 million in illegal kickbacks for patient referrals. To conceal these payments, Sharma and co-defendant Paul Jin Sen Khour created fake contracts. Khour, also apprehended, has claimed innocence and is scheduled for trial on July 29.
Investigation Began in 2017
According to an NBC Los Angeles report, the investigation into Sovereign Health Group, which operated addiction 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 residence in San Juan Capistrano. The company was shut down in 2018.
Who is Tanmay Sharma?
Tanmay Sharma is an internationally recognized research psychiatrist known for his notable studies on brain function and human behavior in schizophrenia and mental illness. A native of Bamunimaidam in Guwahati, Sharma is the eldest son of the late theater artist, playwright, and film actor Phani Sharma. His father owned Anuradha Cinema Hall and the now-closed Rupayan and Anupama Cinema Halls.
Tanmay earned his medical degree (MBBS) from Dibrugarh Medical College in 1987 and completed an internship at Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi. He was granted a medical license from the Medical Council of India in 1987 and from the United Kingdom's General Medical Council in 1988. Throughout his career, he has reviewed for 15 international medical journals, served on several editorial boards, participated in advisory groups on antipsychotic drugs, led over 20 clinical trials, authored more than 200 peer-reviewed journals, and co-authored five books on schizophrenia.
The legal journey for Sharma is just beginning, and observers are keenly watching how the case unfolds, especially given Sharma's significant contributions and stature in the medical research community.
