Attorney General Bonta Dismantles Los Angeles Hospice Fraud Ring Responsible for $267 Million in Fraud, 21 Charged

LOS ANGELES – California Attorney General Rob Bonta, together with the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), today announced charges filed against 21 suspects and the dismantling of a major hospice fraud scheme that defrauded California of $267 million. Operation Skip Trace resulted in the arrest of five people after ten different locations were searched in Southern California. In addition, two handguns and over $757,000 in cash were seized.

“This isn’t a political game for us. This is about protecting taxpayer dollars, protecting the programs that sick and vulnerable Californians rely on, and protecting our state,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. “Over the life of this fraud scheme, not a single legitimate hospice service was ever provided yet millions were billed in a brazen, calculated scheme that exploited the Medi-Cal system. This wasn’t a mistake or a loophole; it was deliberate fraud. This kind of abuse undermines trust, drains critical resources, and threatens care for those who truly depend on it. This is a perfect example that we have taken a firm stand to investigate, prosecute, and shut down hospice fraud wherever it exists.”