Skokie Doctor Indicted in Historic Medicare Fraud Takedown

A Skokie doctor was charged Wednesday as part of the largest national Medicare fraud takedown in history, according to an indictment filed Tuesday in a Chicago federal court.

Charges announced by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Illinois indicate Dr. Zoya Kosman allegedly "caused the submission of false medical evidence to help a claimant obtain federal disability benefits to which the claimant was not entitled. "

Kosman, 58 is accused of lying about the claimant's complaints, symptoms and functional abilities in documentation that was part of the claimant's application for Medicare benefits. He was charged with making false statements in an application for benefits, an offense that could result in up to 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

Kosman's arrest was part of a historic nationwide sweep conducted by the Attorney General and Department of Health and Human Services focusing on health care fraud schemes. Charges against 301 people, including 61 medical professionals, were announced as part of the historic sweep, which was part of a Medicare Fraud Strike Force investigation.

Another Chicago-area doctor, Dr. Yevgeny Odessky, was charged in connection with taking cash kickbacks in exchange for referring patients to a home health care agency in the north suburbs.