FRESNO - Sandra Haar, 57, of Merced, pleaded guilty today to health care fraud and conspiracy to receive kickbacks, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced. Haar was the founder and chief executive officer of Horisons Unlimited, a nonprofit public benefit corporation that provided health and dental services in Merced and surrounding communities.
According to court documents, between January 1, 2014, and March 2017, Haar orchestrated a scheme to bill Medicare and Medi-Cal for services she knew were not reimbursable, and she profited by over $3.7 million from her fraud. For example, Haar billed Medi‑Cal for health and dental services that were not rendered and for unnecessary health care services. She also billed Medi-Cal for office visits with purportedly licensed doctors when the patients instead were dispensed Suboxone, an opioid medication, in the parking lots of McDonald’s and Rite Aid in baggies.
Clovis Man Dies Follow Crash at Madera Speedway
MADERA – A Clovis man died Saturday evening following a crash in the 21st lap of the 360 Super Modified at the Madera Speedway. Donnie Large Sr. was leading the four car race while coming down the front straightaway it appeared as though his car lost power.
Large coasted around turns one and two as the car slowed down and hit the turn two wall and turned left to slowly came down the track until it stopped against the inside retaining wall after making contact with third place driver Lance Jackson.
Fresno Man Indicted on Firearms Charges
FRESNO - A federal grand jury returned an indictment today against Kalif Eban Bess, 43, of Fresno, charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced. According to court documents, on May 5, 2018, a .357 revolver with six live rounds was discovered in Bess’s backpack. Bess was prohibited from possessing a firearm based on prior felony convictions.
This case is the product of an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Fresno Police Department, and the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. McKeon is prosecuting the case.
Northern California Woman Sentenced for Tax Refund Scheme
SACRAMENTO - Starsheka Mixon, 35, of Pinole, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Morrison C. England Jr. to three years and one month in prison for a stolen identity tax refund fraud scheme, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced. “The defendants used taxpayer information to enrich themselves by submitting false tax returns to the IRS,” said Tara Sullivan, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation. “This scheme went on for three years and victimized innocent taxpayers and the government. Identity theft can have a negative financial impact on taxpayers and can take years to repair. Taxpayers must be careful who they share their personally identifiable information with when choosing a tax return preparer.”
According to court documents, between January 2011 and June 2013, Mixon and co‑defendant Denna Chambers, 35, of Fairfield, conspired together and with others to fraudulently obtain tax refunds by filing false tax returns in the names of other people with the Internal Revenue Service. The tax returns included false statements about the taxpayers’ income, dependents, and occupations in order to obtain refunds and tax credits to which the taxpayers were not entitled, including the Earned Income Credit and the Additional Child Tax Credit. Some of the fraudulent tax returns used the name and personal information of individuals without their knowledge or consent.
$30,000 Burglary in Merced Nets One in Custody
MERCED - On August 06, 2018, the Merced Police Department (MPD) responded to a business in the 1700 block of Grogan for a burglary report. Officers arrived and contacted the business owners. The business owner reported that a truck and trailer had been stolen from their business. The stolen trailer had been taken with two riding lawn mowers and several other pieces of commercial lawn maintenance equipment. The total loss to the business was estimated at over $30,000.00.
MPD Detective John Pinnegar immediately began working with patrol officers and they identified the suspect as David Anthony Allen of Merced. Through his investigation, Detective Pinnegar discovered that Allen had stolen the truck and trailer with all the lawn equipment.
More Articles ...
YOUR AD HERE
YOUR AD HERE
