Dr. Kenneth W. Johnson, 44 and other people associated with a Glendale clinic, a total or 17, were arrested today for allegedly running a multimillion-dollar scheme to defraud government health programs by needlessly prescribing Seroquel and other anti-psychotic medications and then repeatedly billing the government.

The scheme was associated with Manor Medical Imaging Clinic and a variety of San Gabriel Valley pharmacies participated in a "prescription harvesting" operation. Losses amounted to at least $7.3 million to federal health programs,

Manor was allegedly a bogus clinic authorized to make claims to Medicare, and Dr. Kenneth W. Johnson was employed to write prescriptions.

Prosecutors also allege the clinic had close relationships with pharmacies and a fraudulent drug wholesale company that was used to channel prescription drugs back to the stores participating in the scheme.

The primary pharmacy involved in the case, Huntington Pharmacy in San Marino, saw a huge increase in claims to Medi-Cal, going from just under $45,000 in 2009 to nearly $1.5 million in 2010.

Prosecutors allege that the owners of Huntington Pharmacy were depositing cash totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars into their personal and business accounts.

Manor allegedly recruited beneficiaries, including veterans, the homeless, low-income patients and the elderly, whose beneficiary information was used to bill the health-care programs for millions of dollars worth of illegal medical services and prescriptions for the pricey anti-psychotic drugs.

The drugs did not go to the beneficiaries but were redirected to black market wholesalers and back to the pharmacies where defendants re-labeled, re-packaged, and re-dispensed the medications to then submit news bills to Medicare and/or Medi-Cal as though the drugs had never been dispensed.

As a result of this scheme, more than $18 million in fraudulent claims were submitted to Medicare and Medi-Cal, which paid out approximately $7.3 million.

All 17 defendants named in the federal criminal complaint are charged with conspiracy to commit health care fraud that carries a statutory maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison.

Healthcare fraud or any other fraud is a serious federal offense that the Federal government takes very seriously. The Feds are in hot pursuit of fraudulent schemes and there have been many busts recently.

If you or someone you know has been a victim of these busts, our Los Angeles Federal Defense Attorneys are here to help you. we have the experience, skill, and knowledge of federal laws and the federal system. Our Los Angeles Lawyers are ready, willing, and able to defend your case and we desire to be your advocate!

Contact our Los Angeles Federal Defense Attorneys and set up a free case evaluation and we will discuss all your options and start preparing for your case immediately.

Guadalupe Valencia, 47, admitted running a Ponzi scheme that took in almost $7 million from more than 150 victims.

Valencia was sentenced to nine years in federal prison on Monday October 24, 2011 after a 5-4 hearing for two counts of mail fraud, two counts of wire fraud, and two counts of tax fraud.

Valencia was also ordered to pay $5.2 million restitution.

Her scheme was ran out of the Downey offices of companies she called Real Estate & Loan Consultants and R.E. Equity Group, Inc.

Beginning in 2001 and continuing through 2009, Valencia promoted two types of investment pools, with one supposedly funding loans to purchase real estate, and a second said to be short-term loans to businesses and promised high rates of interest (8-10% in as little as 45 days).

Valencia victimized 150 victims and admitted to providing worthless promissory notes and admitted that the investment did not generate any profit.

In addition to the mail and wire fraud charges, Valencia pleaded guilty to two counts of filing false tax returns. Valencia 's scheme raised about $7 million with an actual loss amount of $5.2.

If you or someone you know is facing federal fraud charges, you may face a long time in prison and huge fines. As yourLos Angeles Federal Criminal Defense Attorney, we guarantee to do everything we can to get you the best possible results.

Our lawyers in L.A. will fight aggressively on your behalf and assert all and any applicable defenses on your behalf.

Contact our  Los Angeles Federal Attorneys and set up a free face to face consultation.

Two men were arrested on Thursday October 20, 2011 in connection with the seizure in Inglewood of 35 pounds of methamphetamine valued at about $1.7 million. Authorities are suspicious of the two men being involved in drug trafficking.

The meth detained during the arrests was in the form of highly purified crystals known as `ice'. Officers also confiscated $54,000 in cash.

Other potential suspects are being looked at, and authorities want to avoid releasing any information that could jeopardize the investigation.

Drug crimes are serious crimes and depending on the amount and type of drug, may be charged on the federal level. The penalties vary on the type and amount of drug, any prior drug convictions, criminal background, and whether the drug was trafficked domestically or internationally.

If you are facing such charges, our Los Angeles Federal Criminal Defense Attorneys have what it takes to effectively defend your case. We are confident in our aggressive fight and we do everything we can to get you the best possible results.

Contact our  Los Angeles federal defense lawyers and set up a free face to face consultation.

Lenny Dykstra, 48, a one time World Series hero, entered his plea of no contest to three counts of grand theft auto and to one count of filing false financial statements.

Dykstra and two associates were running a scheme to lease high end cars using fraudulent information and using a phony business, Home Free Systems, for credit purposes.

Dykstra's accountant, Robert Hymers, pleaded no contest earlier this year to a charge of identity theft in connection with his role in the scheme.

Dykstra's friend Christopher Gavanis pleaded no contest to a charge of filing a false financial statement.

Hymers and Gavanis have not yet been sentenced.

Dykstra originally faced 25 criminal counts. With all these charges put together, he was facing up to 12 years in prison, but under his plea deal with prosecutors, remainder of the charges were dismissed.

Dykstra still faces two additional and unrelated criminal prosecutions; destroying some $400,000 in property that was part of his bankruptcy case.

In August, he was charged in Los Angeles with exposing himself to a number of women who answered online employment advertisements he posted.

He is perhaps best remembered by Mets fans for the 1986 season, when he struck a walk-off, game-winning home run in Game Three of the National League Championship Series.

Dykstra now faces a maximum penalty of four years in prison when he appears before a judge for sentencing in January.

A conviction of these charges can turn your life around and a federal criminal defense attorney can help you minimize harsh consequences of such charges.

Our Los Angeles Federal Attorneys are here to give you wisdom on how t go about your case. We will break down all your options and assist you throughout the whole process. Our Lawyers in Los Angeles are here to be your advocate!

Contact our  Los Angeles Federal Defense Lawyers and set up a free face to face consultation.

Millage Peaks IV, 23, was charged Monday October 17, 2011 with bribing a federal Transportation Security Administration officer, Dianne Perez, with about $6000 at LAX to help him smuggle about 14 pounds of marijuana past security on nine separate trips.

The arrest took place Sunday October 16, 2011 when a baggage handler smelled marijuana in Peaks' luggage and called authorities who found 14 pounds of marijuana in the luggage.

Peaks' cell phone revealed text messages that were sent between him and Perez.  

In one of the messages dated October 7, he wrote: "He made it coo. Thanx soo much. U have no clue how clutch u r. Without u none of this would b possible....Ill have ur 700 Monday maybe earlier."

In interviews with authorities, Peaks admitted to and explained in detail an explanation of the system devised by him and Perez to get drugs aboard planes.

Bribery is a serious federal offense. Bribery charges and penalties come in many variations and depend on the circumstances of the crime and the role of the defendant. As federal criminal defense attorneys we are here to explain everything to you and discuss all your options with you.

Our Los Angeles Federal Lawyers strive to get you the best possible results whether you are facing bribery charges or any other federal crime.

Contact our lawyers in L.A. and set up a free face to face consultation.

We will be your advocate! We are on your side!

Haoren Ma, 47, owner of New Arrival Immigration Service on Valley Boulevard, and his employee, Minghan Dong, 55, from San Gabriel, were indicted Friday on federal immigration fraud charges for allegedly helping hundreds of Chinese nationals file bogus U.S. asylum applications claiming they were persecuted for their Christian beliefs, charging $6,500 per person.

The money was for the purpose of coaching asylum seekers in providing identical false accounts of Chinese authorities that raid and break up underground church meetings and arrest and torture the attendees.

The men also provided written materials and audiotapes tutoring immigrants in Christian precepts.

Dong and Ma each face up to 85 years in federal prison and a $2.5-million fine.

Immigration fraud is a serious federal offense that carries extremely harsh penalties. Our federal criminal defense attorneys in Los Angeles have the knowledge and experience to competently handle your federal case.

If you or someone you know is facing immigration fraud or any other federal crime, our federal defense lawyers are available immediately to give you a free face to face consultation and discuss all your options with you.

Contact our  L.A. federal defense attorneys and set up the free case evaluation.

14 people, including an 88-year-old doctor and two operators of a Los Angeles clinic were charged with running a scheme to illegally obtain and distribute OxyContin pills through insurance fraud. The federal indictment stemmed from of a two-year investigation.

Clinic operators Mike Mikaelian, 43, of East Hollywood and Anjelika Sanamian, 52, of Van Nuys allegedly organized the scheme.

The operation was allegedly run out of Lake Medical Group, where doctors reportedly wrote prescriptions for the pill to uninsured patients who did not need it. Defendants also allegedly obtained the pills from pharmacies by fraudulently billing public insurance programs such as Medicare.

The pills were then resold on the street for $23-$27 per pill, adding up to millions of dollars.

The charges also allege that defendants stole identities and Medicare beneficiary information of others to obtain the OxyContin.

The defendants all face charges of drug conspiracy or healthcare fraud. Mikaelian is also charged with wholesale distribution of OxyContin. The maximum sentences range from 10 to 40 years.

Medicare/Insurance fraud is a serious federal offense that is becoming more and more common. A conviction of insurance fraud results in long term imprisonment and can change your whole life. As federal defense attorneys, our duty to our clients is to fight and protect their rights.

Our Los Angeles lawyers know how the federal system operates and know how the prosecutors think. We use this knowledge coupled up with our skill and experience to our client's benefit to get the best results possible.

If you or someone you know is facing insurance fraud charges or any other federal crime, contact our  Los Angeles Federal Defense Lawyers and set up a free face to face consultation immediately.

Raj Rajaratnam, the Galleon Group founder was convicted in May on 14 counts of conspiracy and securities fraud following a two-month trial.

Rajaratnam is now sentenced to 11 years in prison, the longest sentence ever for an insider-trading case.

The evidence mainly relied on was the electronic wiretaps to catch and arrest Rajaratnam, who was found guilty of making more than $50 million in profits by acting on tips from contacts at firms such as Goldman Sachs Group Inc., McKinsey & Co. and Google Inc.

Prosecutors tried to have the court impose a sentence of 15 to 20 years, but the judge was lenient with the sentencing due to Rajaratnam's advanced diabetes and other factors.

Since his arrest in October 2009, more than 20 others involved in the case have cut deals with prosecutors.

Rajaratnam must report to prison within 45 days to serve his 11 year sentence.

Insider trading and fraud are serious offenses that the Federal government does not take lightly. A conviction results in a long prison sentence and excessive fines. Our Los Angeles Federal Criminal Defense Attorneys are here to do everything we can to help avoid these harsh penalties.

As your defense lawyer in L.A. we will assert any and all defenses on your behalf and strive to get you the best possible results.

If you or someone you know is facing a federal crime charge, do not waste any time and contact our  Los Angeles criminal defense lawyers and set up a free case evaluation.

A once respected business man in the Jewish community of the Iranians in Southern California, Ezri Namvar, 59, has been arrested and sentenced to 7 years in federal prison for a wire fraud Ponzi Scheme.

Namvar and his companies took investments from middle class Iranians, many of whom invested their life savings ranging from $10,000 to $300,000. The investments went downhill along with the economy back in 2008.

Namvar then went bankrupt and was accused by investors of creating a Ponzi Scheme in which the losses amounted to about $500 million.

During the trial of Namvar and his partner, co-defendant Hamid Tabatabai, 63, the jury concluded after only 3 hours of deliberation, guilty an all four counts of wire fraud in theft on $21 million.

The money invested by and belonging to the victims was to be held in escrow until a transaction could be executed on the new property purchase.  However, instead of holding the money Namvar, with the assistance of Tabatabai, used the victims' money for illegal and undisclosed purposes, including paying off creditors and investors of Namvar's investment company, Namco Capital Group, Inc. (NCG).

Being convicted of wire fraud or conducting a Ponzi scheme is a serious federal offense and can result in a long term prison sentence.

Our federal criminal defense attorneys are available to handle your federal case for you whether it is wire fraud or any type of fraud. We are aggressive and persistent in striving to get our clients favorable results.

Contact our Los Angeles federal lawyers for a free face to face consultation. If you are facing a federal offense, there is no time to waste as the penalties are severe; contact us today!

Three Southern California senior citizens, two 71-year-old women and an 82-year-old man, went to the emergency room after they unknowingly ate marijuana-laced brownies at a friend's funeral that got them nacreous and dizzy.

No one at the funeral was told that the brownies being served contained marijuana, which were allegedly being offered in memory of the friend who ate marijuana laced brownies for medical reasons.

In a separate incident, robbers posing as customers called a medical marijuana dispensary Friday and asked for a delivery. A man and woman arrived and took $1500 worth of marijuana.

Due to such incidents and growth of medical marijuana dispensaries, Federal authorities have enhanced their pursuit of medical marijuana dispensaries and announced on Friday October 7, 2011 that they plan to shut down on marijuana sales and growing operations throughout the state.

If you or someone you know is being charged with a federal drug crime involving marijuana or any other drug, our  federal criminal defense lawyers at Hedding Law Firm have the experience, skill, and knowledge to take on your case and competently represent you.

Contact our  Los Angeles defense attorneys if you are facing a federal crime and set up a free face to face consultation.

We are confident in our fight and persistence to get you the best possible results in any federal criminal charge you may be facing.

Federal prosecutors in California are continuing to shut down medical marijuana dispensaries throughout the state, this time around sending letters to warn landlords to stop sales of the drug within 45 days or face property seizure and/or be sent to prison.

The prosecutors are aiming at stores that fall within 1,000 feet of schools and parks. But letters received by dispensaries in San Diego make no mention of such distance prohibitions. Landlords for some dispensaries have already received letter.

The enhanced enforcement appears to be a major escalation in the Obama administration's bid to restrain in the explosive spread of medical marijuana dispensaries.

Barack Obama, as a candidate, said the federal government should not raid medical marijuana users and caregivers. Three months after Obama was inaugurated, his attorney general announced that it would be the administration's official policy.

Although California was the first state to decriminalize marijuana for medical use in 1996, it remains a federal crime to possess or sell it.

The administration and some of its federal prosecutors have drawn strict limits on what they would tolerate

The latest letters have puzzled the state's medical marijuana activists, who believe the president has broken his word.  

The four U.S. attorneys have scheduled a news conference for Friday morning in Sacramento to outline their plans to target marijuana cultivation and sales in California. The prosecutors have indicated that they would focus enforcement efforts on dispensaries and growers that dealt with more than 200 kilograms or a 1,000 plants a year. 

Although California does not have a law opposing marijuana dispensaries, the Feds have the authority and power to override California law and shit these places down.

Our federal criminal defense attorneys are here to explain these laws to you and try to help you the best we can if you are facing such a situation or any other federal drug crime.

Our Los Angeles federal lawyers have the knowledge and experience that is necessary to defend any federal crime you may be facing.

Contact our federal lawyers in L.A. for a free face to face consultation.

Dr. Nazar Al Bussam, 72, a drug-dealing doctor who was once California's top prescriber of narcotic painkillers and other commonly abused drugs was sentenced to seven years in federal prison on Wednesday October 5, 2011.

U.S. District Judge S. James Otero imposed the sentence after telling the court he had a Times article that linked Al Bussam to the deaths of three patients to whom he had prescribed drugs and two other people who had drugs prescribed by him in their possession. The prosecutors brought the article to the judge's attention.

Authorities did not discover those deaths during their three-year probe of Al Bussam, who they said generated nearly $2 million in cash while recklessly prescribing addictive narcotics to drug addicts and dealers.
Al Bussam stated that many of his prescription pads were stolen.

According to the prosecutors, Al Bussam gave his patients the drugs they asked for and he also recommended additional addictive drugs to undercover Drug Enforcement Administration agents posing as patients who said nothing to indicate they needed them.

Additionally, some of the prescriptions he wrote were for quantities and combinations of pills that were potentially lethal even if taken as directed; a prosecution medical expert would testify to this fact.

Al Bussam's attorney, acknowledged the crime committed but also acknowledged the fact that not all of his patients were drug addicts and how Al Bussam was a good man and he would help patients who could not afford medical care.

In any case, Al Bussam now has to serve a seven year sentence in federal prison.

A federal crime carries serious and harsh penalties and an experienced federal defense attorney is an important tool. Our L.A. federal lawyers have the experience, skill, and knowledge that qualify us to defend you.

If you or someone you know is facing a federal crime contact our Los Angeles Lawyers and set up a free face to face consultation. We know how the federal system works and we guarantee a competent representation.

Lauren Baumann, 43, from Downey, California pleaded guilty Monday October 3, 2011 to a federal wire fraud charge and scheming to collect $1 million from victims who believed their money was going toward real estate investments and Christian rock concerts.

Baumann had a business called Stewardship Estates LLC, in which she tried to solicit loans for telling investors that the money would be used for Christian events and for real estate (to buy houses and fix them up for profit).

Baumann used the money for personal expenses, one being paying rent for a mansion in Downey and private school tuition for her kids.

Baumann had been convicted of securities fraud in Texas in 1999. More than 24 investors suffered losses totaling close to $560,000.

A sentencing hearing is set for December 12, 2011.

Wire fraud is a charge that the government takes very seriously. The maximum sentence for wire fraud is 20 years in prison, and that is why an experienced and aggressive federal defense attorney is necessary to help avoid such harsh penalties.

Our federal criminal defense lawyers will do everything possible to get you favorable results. We will assert all and any defense that are applicable to you. We will aggressively fight for you.

If you or someone you know is being charged with wire fraud or any type of fraud, contact our federal criminal defense lawyers in Los Angeles and set up a free face to face consultation.

Our federal defense attorneys have the skill, knowledge, and persistence to competently defend you if you are facing a federal crime charge. 

Contact us today for a free face to face consultation.

An IRS investigation centered on two companies, Old Quest Foundation in Fontana and De la Fuente and Ramirez and Associates in Rancho Cucamonga has resulted in a federal grand jury indictment of 55 people.

The indictment alleged a scheme by Old Quest in which more than 400 false tax returns were filed, resulting in millions of dollars in payouts, including one refund check for $1.2 million. Old quest is accused of preparing and filing false tax returns.

Company representatives allegedly gave presentations with people posing as attorneys, accountants, certified public accountants and former IRS employees, telling audiences that the United States was bankrupt and owned by England and as a result the customers were required to make contributions as large as $10,000 to pay a percentage of the refunds received.

The indictments charge the owners of the company and there are still some fugitives that authorities are pursuing.

Many of the 55 indicted in connection with an alleged tax fraud scheme involving the filing of false income tax returns seeking more than $250 million in bogus refunds, are charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States and face a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison if convicted.

Others, who are accused of making false claims against the United States, face a maximum sentence of five years.

Tax fraud or any type of fraud especially towards the government is an extremely serious federal offense and can result in a long term prison sentence.

Our federal criminal defense lawyers have the experience and skills that qualify us to competently and aggressively defend you if you are facing fraud charges or any other federal charges.

We know how the federal system operates and we use all our knowledge, skill, and legal strategy to get you results in your favor.

Contact our Los Angeles federal defense lawyers for a free face to face consultation.