Los Angeles: In a development that has sent ripples across the global medical fraternity and the Assamese diaspora, Tonmoy Sharma, a prominent US-based pharma entrepreneur originally from Guwahati, has been apprehended at Los Angeles International Airport. The former CEO of Sovereign Health Group faces a slew of federal charges in connection with an alleged $149 million healthcare fraud scheme.
Sharma, 61, an alumnus of Dibrugarh Medical College, was taken into custody on May 29. The US Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California announced an indictment against him, featuring eight counts, including four counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy, and three counts of illegal remuneration for patient referrals. This arrest culminates a protracted federal investigation into Sovereign Health Group, a now-defunct addiction treatment network that operated across Southern California.
Prosecutors allege that Sharma and his co-defendants orchestrated a widespread fraud, enrolling patients in health insurance plans without their knowledge or consent, submitting fabricated claims, and disbursing over $21 million in unlawful kickbacks to secure patient referrals. The US Department of Justice has stated that the elaborate scam involved the submission of over $149 million in fraudulent claims to various insurance providers. Sharma’s co-accused, Paul Jin Sen Khor, has also been arrested and has entered a plea of not guilty. The trial for this high-profile case is slated to commence on July 29.
Sharma, who completed his internship at Delhi’s Safdarjung Hospital after graduating from Dibrugarh University in 1987, subsequently moved abroad and carved a niche for himself in psychiatric research and addiction treatment. He is the son of the late Phani Sharma, a revered sports organiser from Guwahati and the former proprietor of iconic cinemas such as Anuradha, Rupayan, and Anupama. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) had initiated its probe into Sharma as far back as 2017, conducting raids on his treatment facilities, his San Clemente headquarters, and his San Juan Capistrano residence.
Beyond his entrepreneurial pursuits, Tonmoy Sharma is also a published author, with several books to his credit focusing on mental health and dual-diagnosis treatment programs. His arrest has undoubtedly created a stir, particularly within the Assamese community globally, given his roots and his family’s prominent standing in Guwahati.
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