Hillside lab COO Rajesh Patel accused of faking 380,000 PCRs
Rajesh "Raj" Patel, a 52-year-old Indian-origin co-owner and chief operating officer of a clinical laboratory in Hillside, Illinois, has been accused of pulling off a massive COVID-19 test scam.
Federal officials say he faked at least 380,000 negative PCR results between May 2021 and April 2022 to bill $66.2 million from a government program meant to help uninsured people.
Patel personally made about $28 million
The laboratory allegedly teamed up with Meridian Medical Staffing Inc. and agreed with Meridian Medical Staffing Inc. in March 2021 to collect samples and provide biological information about purported patients.
The lab reportedly received $44.1 million from the program, and Patel personally made about $28 million from it all.
If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison per count of wire fraud.
Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department's Fraud Division said Patel allegedly exploited the public health emergency for personal gain by fabricating test results and billing the government.