Azerbaijani National Charged in $90 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme, Remains at Large

A company called Dublin Helping Hand, registered by a former Sunnyvale resident, churned out fraudulent Medicare billing claims from October 2024 through June 2025 — and the man prosecutors say ran it has not been found.

Anar Rustamov, 38, was indicted by a federal grand jury and charged with health care fraud for a scheme involving thousands of false claims for medical equipment totaling more than $90 million. He previously lived in Sunnyvale, California, and is a foreign national from Azerbaijan who may have entered the United States illegally. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of California, which covers San Francisco and the wider Bay Area, announced the charges.

According to the indictment, Rustamov was part of a scheme to submit thousands of fraudulent claims to Medicare Advantage Organizations on behalf of unsuspecting beneficiaries for medical equipment such as blood glucose monitors and orthotic braces. The indictment alleges that from October 2024 through June 2025, he executed the scheme through Dublin Helping Hand to submit large volumes of claims to Medicare Advantage Organizations offering Medicare Part C benefit plans.

The scheme allegedly sought reimbursement of more than $90 million for medical equipment that was not provided, not needed by patients, or not approved by a medical provider. The listed patients were unaware that their information was used to submit the claims, and the referring medical provider listed on the submissions did not authorize the claims, the indictment alleges.

Rustamov has been indicted on 14 counts of allegedly orchestrating a scheme to file thousands of false claims for medical equipment with the Medicare Advantage program. If convicted, he could face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 for each violation.

U.S. Attorney Craig H. Missakian framed the prosecution in stark terms. "When the Administration declared a War on Fraud, it meant to target exactly this kind of conduct. Rustamov participated in a scheme to steal nearly $100 million in taxpayer funds from a program intended to help those who truly need medical care," Missakian said. "Anyone who believes they can make easy money by defrauding such programs should know that we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to identify, investigate, and prosecute such fraud and abuse."

Matt Cobo, acting special agent in charge of the FBI's San Francisco field office, called it "a calculated scheme to exploit a critical health care program for personal gain, attempting to siphon tens of millions of dollars through thousands of fraudulent claims for medical equipment," adding that "programs like Medicare Advantage are funded by American taxpayers and exist to provide essential care to those who need it most — not to be manipulated for profit."

Robb R. Breeden, special agent in charge of the San Francisco Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General, said the charges "reflect the seriousness with which we pursue schemes that undermine the Medicare Advantage program," adding that "the scheme alleged in this indictment targeted funds intended to provide necessary health care services to Medicare enrollees."

Rustamov, suspected of entering the U.S. illegally, is currently at large. Federal officials have not publicly disclosed which country he is believed to be in. The indictment itself is an allegation, and Rustamov is presumed innocent unless convicted beyond a reasonable doubt.