A Florida executive's brazen half-billion-dollar COVID-19 testing fraud scheme during the pandemic's height has finally met its day of reckoning, exposing a shocking betrayal of public trust when Americans were at their most vulnerable.
Hasan "Lucas" Seyhun, a former top executive of the New York-based Fast Lab Technologies, LLC, has pleaded guilty to masterminding the colossal healthcare fraud. This illicit operation, which Seyhun personally profited from by over $4 million, claimed to offer "no cost" COVID tests online, only to fleece taxpayers through bogus billing.
The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) confirmed Seyhun's admission that he conspired with Fast Lab CEO Cemhan "Jimmy" Biricik and Medical Director Dr. Martin Perlin to execute the elaborate scheme.
According to court documents, Fast Lab exploited customer insurance information to submit fraudulent claims for services never rendered. This included false assertions that antigen tests were medically observed, saliva samples collected by medical personnel, and even PCR testing conducted on those samples—all fabrications designed to line their pockets.
Seyhun, in his capacity as Chief Operating Officer, orchestrated the submission of millions in fraudulent healthcare claims, siphoning at least $35 million in illicit payments from the system. He has since agreed to forfeit $4,313,153, representing his direct personal haul from the criminal enterprise.
Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office, rightly pointed out that "a scheme of this magnitude undermines public trust and diverts critical healthcare dollars away from the people and programs who need it most." She hailed Seyhun's guilty plea as "an important step toward accountability for conduct that resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars in fraudulent billings," sending a clear message that justice will be pursued.
United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. minced no words, stating, "Ripping off the American taxpayer is bad enough. Using the fear and isolation of the COVID pandemic to do it is sickening." He further highlighted the sheer arrogance of the fraudsters: "Not only did Seyhun and his co-conspirators defraud the American public of hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of fake services, but they were so confident in their scheme that they routinely submitted claims for payment before test kits were even delivered to the customer."
Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the National Fraud Enforcement Division underscored the callous opportunism. "At a time when Americans were scared for their families and their futures, Hasan Seyhun saw an opportunity to turn a national crisis into his own personal payday," McDonald stated. "Instead of providing the American people with the assistance they needed during a critical time, Seyhun and his colleagues exploited their trust, and lined their pockets from fraudulent insurance claims."
McDonald's resolute promise that "The Fraud Division will not let up in its relentless pursuit of COVID era fraudsters" echoes the unwavering commitment to law and order championed by the Trump administration. This serves as a stark warning to any would-be criminals who believe they can exploit national crises for personal gain. Under the watchful eye of relentless waste, fraud, and abuse investigators, especially concerning the COVID debacle overseen by the previous administration, such schemes will be exposed, culprits held accountable, and real justice delivered to protect the American taxpayer and uphold the integrity of our nation.
