CWBChicago.com is an English-language resource specializing in news about crime, legal proceedings, and public safety in Chicago.
One of the defendants is Anuar Abdrakhmanov. According to the investigation, he took control of a legally registered company, Priority One Medical Equipment, in Kentucky and used it to submit fraudulent claims under Medicare. It is alleged that from March to August 2024, the firm billed approximately $666 million for the supply of continuous glucose monitors and catheters.
According to court documents, Anuar Abdrakhmanov arrived in the U.S. in May 2023 on a work visa that expired in September, but he remained in the country. In April 2024, he became the manager of Priority One after purchasing the company from the previous owner.
From May to August 2024, Medicare received about 250 complaints about Priority One. Many recipients stated that they did not order products or services from this company. Six individuals in Illinois informed investigators that they had never requested diabetic supplies, and some noted that they did not have diabetes.
In July 2024, investigators monitoring the Priority One office in Kentucky found it appeared abandoned and empty. Company employees confirmed that their task was merely to collect mail and forward it through the encrypted Telegram app to a manager they had never seen. Court documents indicate that FedEx checks were sent to addresses in the suburbs of Chicago.
One employee reported losing a $1 million check issued to the company and later received a $2,000 bonus after it was found.
Medicare suspended payments to Priority One in July 2024. However, Medigap insurance companies, as alleged by the investigation, paid out at least $450,000 in claims. Financial documents show that Anuar Abdrakhmanov transferred about $182,000 to accounts in Hong Kong and attempted to send over $200,000 abroad. Additionally, in August 2024, he deposited about 30 checks from Medigap companies totaling approximately $22,500 into the Priority One account.
The second defendant is Tair Smagul, who resides in the Chicago area, and is accused of conspiracy to launder money obtained from Medicare fraud. He is linked to the company Medical Home Care Inc. from Connecticut.
According to the prosecution, from December 2023 to September 2024, Tair Smagul controlled this company and participated in a nationwide scheme to bill Medicare and Medigap for catheters and other medical equipment that had no medical necessity and often was not delivered to patients.
According to the indictment, Medical Home Care submitted about 470,000 claims totaling approximately $953 million from May 2023 to June 2024. During this time, Medicare received over 27,000 complaints from insured individuals.
Investigators spoke with 19 Medicare recipients, including five from Illinois, all of whom denied receiving catheters. Three doctors listed as prescribing the equipment stated that they did not prescribe it, and the listed recipients were not their patients.
Financial documents show that Medigap insurance organizations paid out at least $854,000 in fraudulent claims from Medical Home Care in January-February 2024.
The investigation claims that Tair Smagul repeatedly withdrew cash through ATMs in Illinois, after which he closed the company's bank accounts, transferring a check with fraudulent funds to his personal account.
