The owner of a Chicago laboratory was sentenced to seven years in prison for his role in a $14 million COVID-19 testing fraud scheme.
What happened?
- Zishan Alvi, 46, of Inverness, Ill., owned and operated a laboratory in Chicago that performed testing for COVID-19, according to a June 18 Justice Department news release.
- In 2021 and 2022, the lab submitted claims to the Health Resources and Services Administration for COVID-19 tests that were either not performed or not performed correctly.
- As part of the scheme, the lab released negative test results to patients even though the lab had not actually tested the specimens, or the results were inconclusive because Mr. Alvi had diluted the tests to save on costs.
- Mr. Alvi pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud in September.
- In addition to prison, he was ordered to pay $14.2 million in restitution and forfeit $6.8 million in cash, a Range Rover and more than $630,000 from an E-Trade account.
