HOUSTON—An indictment charging Hossein Lahiji, M.D., a McAllen urologist, and his wife, Najmeh Vahid Lahiji, of San Antonio, Texas, for allegedly defrauding Medicare and Medicare has been unsealed, United States Attorney José Angel Moreno announced today.
Dr. Lahiji, 47, was arrested yesterday at Bush International Airport upon arrival aboard a flight from Tehran, Iran. His wife, Vahid Lahiji, 35, surrendered today to law enforcement. Both have made their initial appearance before U. S. Magistrate Judge Frances H. Stacy and have been ordered release on a $100,000 cash secured ($2500) bond. As an additional condition of bond, U.S. Magistrate Judge Stacy ordered that Dr. Lahiji is prohibited from billing any claims for services to either Medicare and Medicare during the pendency of this Indictment. The Indictment was returned under seal on Jan. 11, 2011 and ordered unsealed today by the court.
Dr. Lahiji and Vahid Lahiji are accused in the nine-count indictment of defrauding Medicare and Medicaid, two health care benefit programs, by submitting false and fraudulent claims for payment of urology services either performed by unlicensed and unqualified medical personal or not rendered. According to the indictment, the Lahiji’s submitted claims to both Medicare and Medicaid for urology services purportedly performed by Hossein Lahiji, M.D. when, in fact, Hossein Lahiji, M.D. was traveling outside the State of Texas and/or outside the United States at the time of service. According to the indictment, individuals licensed only as Medical Assistants (“M.A.’s”) were performing these “urology services” without any supervision from any physician or other qualified, licensed personal, in violation of protocols established by both Medicaid and Medicare.
The Lahijis each face a sentence of up to 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000, if convicted of health care fraud.
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