Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Drake announced a $501,556 civil settlement between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri and Dr. Mohd Azfar Malik, a Missouri psychiatrist. The settlement addresses allegations under the False Claims Act (FCA) related to false claims submitted to Medicare and Missouri Medicaid.
The allegations state that from January 1, 2019, through May 31, 2024, Dr. Malik falsely claimed to have provided face-to-face psychotherapy sessions while he was out of town or when services were rendered by other practitioners. Dr. Malik was part-owner of Behavioral Health Services, LLC, which operated Psych Care Consultants in St. Louis.
The settlement includes $250,778 in restitution doubled under the FCA but does not admit liability on Dr. Malik's part. In April 2025, Dr. Malik pleaded guilty to making false statements regarding federal health care matters and admitted submitting fraudulent claims to Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurers for services he did not personally perform.
Linda T. Hanley from the United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General emphasized the importance of holding healthcare professionals accountable: “Holding health care professionals accountable for submitting false claims for financial gain is crucial for maintaining public trust and ensuring that critical resources are appropriately utilized.” She added that HHS-OIG will continue collaborating with law enforcement partners to protect Medicare and Medicaid integrity.
The civil settlement resulted from joint efforts by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri, HHS/OIG Office of Investigations, the Missouri Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
