Three individuals were convicted today at trial in connection with a racketeering conspiracy encompassing multiple fraud schemes, including visa fraud to employ foreign workers unlawfully, soliciting salary kickbacks from the employed workers, and health care fraud billing schemes resulting in over $32 million in losses to Pennsylvania Medicaid.
As proven at trial, Bhaskar and Arun Savani built a complex criminal enterprise they dubbed “the Savani Group” that amassed tens of millions of dollars through outright fraud at every turn. Bhaskar was a dentist by training and controlled the numerous dental practices of the Savani Group, and Arun generally controlled the finances and real property holdings of the Savani Group. Ola Radomiak was a long-term employee and executive at the Savani Group and facilitated the Savanis’ conspiracy to defraud Medicaid. Through their criminal enterprise, Bhaskar and Arun Savani substantially enriched themselves over the course of a decade. Their offenses included filing numerous false H-1B visa applications, fraudulently billing health care benefit programs in the names of non-treating dentists, obstructing a grand jury investigation, laundering fraud proceeds through a complex web of financial transactions, wire fraud, and mail fraud. By their fraud, they obtained more than $32 million from Medicaid through nominee-owned dental practices used to bill Medicaid after the Savani Group’s Medicaid contracts were terminated.
“This significant prosecution exemplifies the commitment of the Department of Justice and its law enforcement partners to protect taxpayer-funded programs from fraudsters and corrupt healthcare professionals who seek their own personal enrichment by bilking government programs and then laundering their ill gotten gains,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva. “The Criminal Division, and all of our partners including the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, will continue using every law enforcement tool available to identify, disrupt and dismantle organized fraud and those who corruptly manipulate the worker visa and Medicaid programs. Fraudsters and money launderers like Bhaskar and Arun Savani and their associates who do so will pay a heavy price.”
“This sprawling investigation and prosecution meant untangling a complex web of fraudulent billing practices and sham medical entities,” said U.S. Attorney David Metcalf for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. “Our office worked with numerous state and federal partner agencies to unravel and prove the multiple healthcare fraud schemes at the heart of this operation. It’s gratifying to dismantle this crooked enterprise and hold those responsible to account. Fraud and abuse cost U.S. taxpayers billions of dollars a year and rob the healthcare system of vital resources.”
“This conviction demonstrates the critical importance of partnerships across law enforcement agencies when confronting complex financial and organized criminal activity,” said Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs of the FBI Philadelphia Field Office. “By leveraging our collective expertise and resources, we were able to expose and dismantle a racketeering enterprise built on deception and fraud. The FBI, working closely alongside our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners, will continue to pursue those who exploit others for personal profit and bring them to justice.”
“Today’s verdict sends a clear message: those who corrupt the Medicaid program for personal gain – no matter how elaborate their schemes – will be held fully accountable,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Scott J. Lampert of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “The Savani Enterprise exploited vulnerable patients, manipulated government programs, and siphoned taxpayer dollars for their own benefit. HHS‑OIG, alongside our federal and state law enforcement partners, remains unwavering in our commitment to protect the integrity of Medicaid and to defend the public’s trust in our healthcare system.”
“The defendants orchestrated a years‑long scheme to defraud Medicaid, evade taxes, and launder millions of dollars through a complex network of companies and accounts,” said Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Newark Field Office. “These crimes do not just enrich wrongdoers, they drain vital public resources and erode trust in government programs. These convictions make clear that those who defraud the government will be held accountable. IRS‑CI will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to dismantle financial fraud schemes and protect the public.”
“Today’s convictions send a clear message that those who build criminal enterprises on the backs of vulnerable patients, exploited workers, and U.S. taxpayers will be held to account,” said Special Agent in Charge of Eric McLoughlin of the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Philadelphia Field Office. “For years, the Savani Group manipulated our immigration system, corrupted healthcare programs, and laundered their illicit proceeds through a maze of shell companies and accounts. This investigation and resulting prosecution reflect the strength of our partnerships with federal and state agencies and our shared commitment to dismantling complex fraud schemes wherever they take root.”
“Visa fraud undermines our legal immigration system and often victimizes those seeking legitimate opportunities in the United States,” said Resident Agent in Charge Anthony Tortora of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) Philadelphia Resident Office. “The Diplomatic Security Service is committed to investigating these schemes and protecting the integrity of the visa process. This conviction sends a clear message that such fraud will not be tolerated.”
“Today’s verdict holds the defendants accountable for their criminal conduct,” said Inspector General Anthony P. D’Esposito of the Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG). “The U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General is unwavering in its commitment to protect the integrity of the Foreign Labor Certification programs. When bad actors exploit vulnerable workers or attempt to game the system, we investigate, we expose, and we hold them accountable. We will continue working with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to ensure these programs serve legitimate labor needs – not criminal enterprises. Fraud will not be tolerated. Accountability is not optional.”
Brothers Bhaskar and Arun Savani, charged in January 2023, have now been convicted by a jury of conspiracy to conduct a racketeering enterprise, conspiracy to commit visa fraud, visa fraud, conspiracy to obstruct justice, conspiracy to commit health care fraud, health care fraud, money laundering conspiracy, concealment and transactional money laundering, conspiracy to defraud the U.S. Treasury, and wire fraud. Bhaskar Savani was also convicted of conspiracy to distribute in interstate commerce an adulterated and misbranded medical device.
Bhaskar and Arun Savani, respectively, face a statutory maximum penalty of 420 years in prison and 415 years in prison. Sentencing hearings are scheduled on July 8 for Bhaskar Savani and July 9 for Arun Savani.
Aleksandra “Ola” Radomiak was convicted of conspiracy to conduct a racketeering enterprise, conspiracy to commit health care fraud, and health care fraud. Ola Radomiak’s sentencing hearing is scheduled before the Honorable Jeffrey L. Schmehl on July 14.
This case was investigated by the FBI, HHS-OIG, IRS-CI, HSI, DSS, Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations, DOL-OIG, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, and the State of Iowa Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Kenneth Kaplan and Chelsea Rooney of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section and Assistant United States Attorneys Anthony Scicchitano, Paul Shapiro, and J. Andrew Jenemann for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
The Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section’s (MNF) mission is to take the profit out of crime, eliminate drug cartels, and protect the U.S. financial system. MNF pursues criminal prosecutions and criminal and civil asset recovery actions involving: financial facilitators who launder profits for criminals; financial institutions and their officers and employees whose actions threaten the U.S. financial system and financial institutions; international money launderers who support transnational organized crime; and the top command and control of international drug trafficking organizations.
MNF’s Money Laundering and Forfeiture Unit investigates and prosecutes sophisticated money laundering schemes involving financial facilitators, gatekeepers, and other individuals and entities laundering criminal proceeds, and litigates complex civil forfeiture cases to recover assets on behalf of victims.