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Analiza Pathak
Born in Guwahati, raised in Mussoorie and Delhi, She grew up reading magazines more than textbooks. She is an experienced writer/editor and has shifted focus to various aspects of communication. Her a ... Read More
Indian-origin businessman Tonmoy Sharma has been arrested at Los Angeles International Airport for his role in a massive healthcare fraud case in the U.S., worth around Rs. 1,244 crore (USD 149 million). Sharma, 61, is the founder and former CEO of Sovereign Health Group, a now-closed organization that offered addiction recovery and mental health services.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Sharma cheated health insurance companies by making fake claims totaling USD 149 million. He also paid about USD 21 million (roughly Rs. 175 crore) in illegal kickbacks to recruit patients for his centers.
A federal grand jury has charged him with eight serious offenses including four counts of wire fraud, one conspiracy charge, and three counts related to illegal referrals.
As per US Attorney’s Office, Central District of California, Sovereign Health Group fraudulently enrolled patients into insurance plans without their knowledge, using deceptive tactics.
The FBI began investigating the case in 2017. As part of the probe, they searched Sovereign Health’s treatment centers in Southern California, its main office, and Sharma’s home. The company shut down its operations in 2018.
Another person involved in the case, Paul Jin Sen, has also been arrested. He has pleaded not guilty, and his trial is scheduled to begin on July 29.
Tonmoy Sharma is originally from Guwahati, Assam. He studied medicine at Dibrugarh Medical College in 1987 and completed his internship at Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi. After that, he moved to the UK and later to the US, where he worked in the medical and research fields.
He obtained his first medical licence from the Indian Medical Council in 1987, followed by a second from the General Medical Council of the United Kingdom in 1988.
He is well known around the world for his research on schizophrenia and mental health issues. Over the years, he has published more than 200 research papers and has written five books.
He is an internationally recognised research psychiatrist. His work focussed on brain function, cognition, and human behaviour in mental illnesses.
Sharma has served on several editorial boards, been selected a peer reviewer for 14 international medical journals and served on various advisory boards governing the development of antipsychotics.
Tanmay Sharma’s father, Phani Sharma, was a well-known theatre artist, actor, and director in Assam. Phani Sharma is also the owner of Anuradha and the now defunct Rupayan and Anupama cinema halls.
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