Massive $27M LA hospice fraud revealed as medical scammer used dead patients to fund lavish lifestyle: feds

Federal agents pounced on a slew of alleged medical fraudsters accused of massive schemes in Los Angeles as part of a national takedown by acting Attorney General Todd Blanche in Washington, D.C.Authorities arrested four people accused of stealing millions in taxpayer dollars and charged six others, including a hospice owner accused of stealing the identities of the dead to fund a flashy car collection that included a Rolls Royce Phantom.In a Tuesday press conference, Blanche announced more takedowns that charged hundreds defendants nationwide.  The feds this year busted medical fraudsters accused of stealing more than $6.5 billion nationwide, including a record-breaking arrest of 455 alleged healthcare crooks in 45 states, the nation’s top prosecutors said.“Fraudsters can no longer rip off American taxpayers,” Blanche said at the press conference from Department of Justice Headquarters on Pennsylvania Ave.“If you seek to harm or cheat Americans, we will find you, seize any assets, and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law.”The Post was there last week as federal agents swooped on Oren David Shachar, taking the owner of at least four hospices in the Los Angeles area into custody for an elaborate series of alleged schemes that involved stealing the identities of people to bill for hospice services.Shachar allegedly funneled the money from his businesses to pay for luxury goods, including $15,000 taken directly from one of his hospices for the down payment on a lease-to-own Rolls Royce Phantom, a car that carries a sicker price of nearly $530,000.In total, federal prosecutors in the Central District of California have brought criminal charges against 10 defendants who’ve allegedly engaged in fraud against government-funded health programs or abused their positions as doctors to illegally prescribe controlled substances.“Public health programs are intended to support the elderly, the ill, the needy, and other vulnerable members of our communit...