Earlier today, Elaine Antao and Manal Wasef pleaded guilty in federal court in Brooklyn to conspiring to defraud Medicaid by paying health care kickbacks for services that were not provided at two Brooklyn-based social adult day cares and a home health care company. The proceeding took place before United States District Judge Natasha C. Merle. Both defendants face up to 10 years in prison when sentenced.
The announcement was made by Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; A. Tysen Duva, Assistant Attorney General and head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Naomi Gruchacz, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG); Ricky J Patel, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations New York (HSI-New York); and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner of the New York City Police Department.
“As demonstrated by today’s guilty pleas, our Office will hold accountable corrupt individuals who steer patients to health care providers in exchange for illicit kickbacks,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “We will continue to investigate and aggressively prosecute fraud schemes that steal from taxpayer funds from federal health care programs.”
“The defendants were large-scale recruiters who bribed patients with laundered cash and billed Medicaid over $68 million for services that were not provided,” stated Assistant Attorney General Duva. “Today’s guilty pleas demonstrate the Department’s longstanding commitment to rooting out fraud in government health care programs by aggressively prosecuting those who steal from taxpayer-funded programs.”
“These defendants orchestrated an egregious scheme involving illegal kickbacks to steer Medicaid claims and to receive payment for services not rendered. Extensive fraudulent operations like this jeopardize the availability of federal health care program funds intended to support millions of beneficiaries,” stated HHS-OIG Special Agent in Charge Gruchacz. “HHS-OIG is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to bring to justice those who prioritize greed over patient care.”
“These defendants placed profit over people and public well-being and stole $68 million in welfare funds meant for those who need it most,” stated HSI Special Agent in Charge Patel. “Their guilty pleas today reflect that they knew exactly what crimes they were committing — they were cheating the system and, in turn, hurting vulnerable Americans. I commend HSI New York and our law enforcement partners for their unrelenting focus on dismantling and disrupting financial fraud schemes that exploit the American public and hurt our economy.”
According to court documents, Antao and Wasef acted as marketers and recruiters for Happy Family Social Adult Day Care Center Inc., Family Social Adult Day Care Center Inc., both located in Brooklyn, as well as Responsible Care Staffing Inc., a home health care fiscal intermediary. From October 2017 through July 2024, they referred Medicaid recipients to these organizations in exchange for illegal kickbacks and bribes. They also paid bribes directly to Medicaid recipients for services billed but not provided or induced by kickbacks. The proceeds from this scheme were laundered through multiple business entities.
As part of their plea agreements, Antao and Wasef agreed to collectively forfeit approximately $1 million. They are the sixth and seventh individuals convicted in connection with this case.
Other individuals previously pleading guilty include Hashmi Amran (55), Joseph Helmy (50), Amal Ismail (59), Zakia Khan (54), and Seema Memon (31), all from Brooklyn.
Trial Attorneys Patrick J. Campbell and Leonid Sandlar from the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting alongside Assistant United States Attorney Michael Castiglione from the Eastern District of New York’s Asset Forfeiture Section.
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York handles prosecutions of federal crimes such as this case within its jurisdiction, which includes Brooklyn where its main office is located (official website). This office provides prosecution services for federal crimes as well as civil litigation matters (official website). It covers areas including Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, Nassau County, and Suffolk County (official website). The office also supports community outreach efforts (official website).
