Houston Women Sentenced To 37 Months For Medicare Fraud

HOUSTON, TX — Konna Hanks was sentenced to 37 months in prison for her part in a Medicare scheme that she carried out with a California man. Hanks was convicted of conspiring with Zaven "George" Sarkasian in a plan that defrauded the federal program of nearly $7 million. Sarkasian received a sentence of 10 years.

Sarkasian established 11 diagnostic clinics in the Houston area between 2012 and 2014 and worked with Hanks to fraudulently bill Medicare for services that were not performed. Hanks recruited and paid Medicare beneficiaries to attend the clinics.

“The sentence imposed today demonstrates the gravity of Sarkisian’s actions,” acting U.S. Attorney Abe Martinez said in a statement. “He created an elaborate scheme and used others to bilk millions out of Medicare even after they attempted to cut his federal funding.”

According to the statement, Hanks, who was also ordered to pay $2,569,530 in restitution, was instrumental to Sarkasian's plans:

Marketers such as Hanks paid Medicare beneficiaries to attend the clinics so they could use their Medicare numbers to fraudulently bill Medicare. Sarkisian paid these marketers $80 to $100 cash, knowing they would keep part of this fee and pay the rest to the beneficiary.

Two other individuals — Darryl Johnson, 33, of Richmond, and Hmyak “Hamlet” Samsonyan, 47, of Katy — also pleaded guilty and await sentencing.

— Image: Office of Inspector General