December 04, (THEWILL) — U.S. authorities have arrested Cashmir Chinedu Luke, CEO of a United States-based home care company, for allegedly defrauding the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) of over $7 million through thousands of false claims.
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) stated that Luke was apprehended on Wednesday at San Francisco International Airport while attempting to board a flight to Nigeria.
U.S. Attorney Eric Grant said Luke is accused of submitting fraudulent claims for home care services that were never provided, including claims for veterans weeks after their deaths.
Court documents reveal that between December 2019 and July 2024, Luke, 66, ran Four Corners Health LLC, a Fresno-based home care provider serving elderly VA beneficiaries under the Veterans Community Care Program. The company covered Fresno, Tulare, Merced, Mariposa, Madera, San Francisco, and Contra Costa Counties.
Investigators allege that Luke submitted nearly 10,000 false claims over the five-year period, including duplicate invoices, claims for hours not worked, services billed on days caretakers were absent, and care supposedly provided to deceased veterans.
The DOJ added that, as sole owner and billing representative, Luke misled the VA’s third-party benefits administrator during recovery efforts, allowing the fraud to continue. He allegedly spent the illicit proceeds on personal expenses and funneled funds through accounts across Asia and Africa.
The U.S. Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General led the investigation, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Calvin Lee prosecuting the case.
Authorities emphasized that the charges are allegations and that Luke is presumed innocent until proven guilty. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.
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