Illinois Lab Owner Charged in $66.2 Million COVID Testing Fraud Involving 380,000 Tests

Oct 22 :
According to the Department of Justice, Illinois lab owner Rajesh Patel, 52, has been charged with fraud after allegedly billing the federal government $66.2 million for COVID tests that were never performed. Prosecutors say his lab reported negative results for at least 380,000 tests, even though many of the patients either didn't exist or had never been tested.

According to prosecutors, the lab received about $44.1 million from the federal government between May 2021 and April 2022, despite allegedly billing for tests it never performed. Of that money, Patel is accused of taking roughly $28 million for himself. He has been charged with five counts of wire fraud and, if convicted, faces up to 20 years in prison for each count.