Attorney General Rob Bonta announced a settlement with the owners of R&B Medical Group, Universal Diagnostic Laboratories, and Southern California Medical Center for submitting false claims to Medicare and Medi-Cal. The settlement addresses allegations that Dr. Mohammad Rasekhi and his wife, Sheila Busheri, were involved in a kickback scheme and made self-referrals between 2014 and 2021. As part of the settlement, they will pay $10 million, with $4 million going to the State of California and $6 million to the federal government.
“When healthcare professionals exploit the Medi-Cal program, which is intended to help the state's most vulnerable populations, they betray the very principles of the Hippocratic Oath and undermine a program designed to support the elderly, the ill, and those in need,” said Attorney General Bonta. “The alleged actions of Dr. Rasekhi not only broke the trust of his patients but also diverted essential resources away from vital healthcare services that benefit the community. My office is dedicated to ensuring that integrity and compassion guide the care provided through the Medi-Cal program. I am grateful for the collaboration of our local, state, and federal partners in this important mission.”
From January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2021, Dr. Rasekhi and his wife allegedly billed government healthcare programs by paying third-party marketers for patient referrals. They also allegedly engaged in self-referral practices by directing patients to their own laboratories in violation of Stark Law. Additionally, they are accused of violating the Anti-Kickback Statute by paying for referrals.
The California Department of Justice’s Division of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse (DMFEA) investigates such fraud cases. These settlements rely on cooperation between governmental agencies and assistance from whistleblowers reporting abuse or fraud at oag.ca.gov/dmfea/reporting.
The DMFEA receives 75 percent of its funding from a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services grant totaling $69,244,976 for Federal fiscal year 2025. The remaining 25 percent is funded by California.
A copy of the settlement agreement can be found online.