NoHo Man Gets 51 Months for $1 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme

The manager of a Tujunga medical supply company that fraudulently sought more than $1 million from the Medicare program for unneeded equipment was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison, prosecutors said today.

Petros Odachyan, 45, of North Hollywood, pleaded guilty in June 2010 in Los Angeles federal court to conspiracy to commit health care fraud, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Odachyan, manager of RL Medical Supply, bilked the Medicare program by submitting claims for unneeded electric wheelchairs, hospital beds, and other durable medical equipment that, in many instances, were never provided to patients, prosecutors said.

As part of the scheme, Odachyan submitted claims to Medicare that were supported by forged prescriptions. While the bogus prescriptions identified genuine beneficiaries, these beneficiaries had not obtained the prescriptions, and did not need or did not receive the durable medical equipment, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Of the more than $1 million worth of fraudulent claims submitted to Medicare, about $600,000 was paid out, officials said.

Odachyan was sentenced Monday by U.S. District Judge Otis D. Wright II.