Two foreign nationals have been indicted in Chicago for their alleged roles in a $10 million health care fraud scheme. According to an indictment filed in federal court, Burhan Mirza and Kashif Iqbal, along with several others, are accused of submitting fraudulent claims to Medicare and private insurers for medical services that were never provided.
The indictment states that between 2023 and 2024, Mirza, a Pakistani national residing in Pakistan, obtained personal information from individuals, providers, and insurers without their knowledge. This information was then used to support false claims submitted by nominee-owned laboratories and durable medical equipment providers. Iqbal, also a Pakistani national but living in Lavon, Texas, was allegedly linked to several durable medical equipment providers involved in the scheme. He is also accused of laundering proceeds from the fraud and coordinating the transfer of these funds to Pakistan.
Mirza faces 12 counts of healthcare fraud and five counts of money laundering. Iqbal is charged with 12 counts of healthcare fraud, six counts of money laundering, and one count of making a false statement to U.S. law enforcement. Arraignment dates have not yet been set.
The charges were announced by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche; Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge at the FBI’s Chicago Field Office; and Mario Pinto, Special Agent-in-Charge at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General’s Chicago Regional Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Hayes is representing the government.
“Rooting out fraud is a priority for this Justice Department, and these defendants allegedly billed millions of dollars from Medicare and laundered the proceeds to Pakistan,” said Deputy Attorney General Blanche. “These alleged criminals stole from a program designed to provide health care benefits to American seniors and the disabled, not line the pockets of foreign fraudsters. We will not tolerate these schemes that divert taxpayer dollars to criminals.”
U.S. Attorney Boutros commented on the broader impact: “Every fraudulent submission in this case diverts much needed monies from senior citizens and disabled persons who rely on Medicare to fund critically important health needs,” he said. “The defendants didn’t just steal from a government program; they did damage to the promise of healthcare in this country and the peace of mind that comes with it. I was proud to form a new Healthcare Fraud Section in the Chicago U.S. Attorney’s Office last summer with the aim of guarding hardworking taxpayer funds. We will work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to stop bad actors from draining public and private programs—especially those in the healthcare space that make it harder for legitimate patients to receive care.”
FBI Special Agent-in-Charge DePodesta stated: “Each fraudulent claim submitted by the defendants deprived other deserving patients from necessary medical resources and cost taxpayers their hard-earned money,” adding that authorities will continue efforts against such schemes.
HHS-OIG Special Agent-in-Charge Pinto said: “This scheme was built on a foundation of lies—fraudulent claims for services that were never provided and a deliberate effort to funnel millions of dollars overseas,” he noted. “These actions not only siphon funds from federal health care programs and private insurers, but also undermine the integrity of programs meant to serve vulnerable patients. Our agency will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to dismantle these schemes and ensure those responsible are held accountable.”
Authorities remind the public that an indictment does not constitute evidence of guilt; all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
Three co-schemers previously indicted as part of this investigation have pleaded guilty to federal healthcare fraud charges: Mir Akbar Khan recruited individuals—including Fasiur Rahman Syed—to pose as owners of companies used for false submissions; Navaid Rasheed admitted tracking payments related to these claims as well as distributing proceeds among co-conspirators. All three await sentencing.
