Sunnyvale Man Charged in Healthcare Fraud Scheme

The Department of Justice has arrested more than 300 people for alleged healthcare schemes including people from Sunnyvale and San Jose.

A Sunnyvale man was one of three Bay Area residents arrested for allegedly bilking the federal healthcare system of millions of dollars. According to federal prosecutors, Sevendik Huseynov, a 47-year-old national of Azerbaijan who lived in Sunnyvale, was arrested on June 26.

Federal prosecutors say he operated Vonyes, Inc. and submitted more than 7,200 claims for durable medical equipment (DME) to at least eight Medicare Advantage Organizations, totaling over $137 million.

“Certain of the purported beneficiaries contacted by law enforcement were not aware of the DME prescriptions and did not need the prescribed DME,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. “The complaint also alleges that a healthcare provider listed as a referring physician on many billing claims had never prescribed DME supplied by Vonyes and that the patients listed on those claims were not his patients.”

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The claims included orders for things such as back braces, knee braces and wrist braces.

Huseynov was one of 324 people arrested nationwide in an attempt to stop healthcare fraud and illegal drug diversion schemes. Three of the people arrested were from the Bay Area.

41-year-old Vincent Thayer of San Jose was arrested for wire fraud, healthcare fraud and aggravated identity theft in connection with a $68 million medical office visit scheme, according to the Justice Department.

The office says Thayer owned Patient Payment Agent, which operated as My Community Testing. It allegedly provided COVID-19 testing, although the visits to medical professionals never took place.

38-year-old Clinton Johnson Christian of Fairfield was also arrested and charged with tampering with consumer products and intentionally obtaining controlled substances through deception and subterfuge in connection with diverting a controlled substance for his personal use.

“Fraud and abuse in our health care system all too often result in harm to the elderly and sick and a loss to the American taxpayer,” said United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian. “We will hold accountable any person who chooses greed over patient well-being.”