{"id":2038037,"date":"2023-09-19T20:58:02","date_gmt":"2023-09-20T00:58:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/man-pleads-guilty-in-sober-living-facility-fraud-case\/"},"modified":"2023-09-19T21:01:34","modified_gmt":"2023-09-20T01:01:34","slug":"man-pleads-guilty-in-sober-living-facility-fraud-case","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/man-pleads-guilty-in-sober-living-facility-fraud-case\/","title":{"rendered":"Man admits guilt in fraud case involving sober living facility."},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fman-pleads-guilty-in-sober-living-facility-fraud-case%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2038037&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>Santa Ana Man Pleads Guilty in Multi-Million Dollar Kickback Scheme<\/h2>\n<p>A 33-year-old man from Temecula, James Frageau, has pleaded guilty\u200d to \u200bhis involvement\u2062 in \u200dan alleged multi-million dollar \u200ckickback scheme. The \u2063scheme revolved around a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/comedian-andy-dick-arrested-on-suspicion-of-sexual-battery-report\/\" title=\"Comedian Andy Dick Arrested On Suspicion Of Sexual Battery: Report\">sober-living facility<\/a> in Orange County. \u200cAccording \u200cto court records obtained on Sept. 18, Frageau\u2062 is expected to be sentenced to two years in prison next year.<\/p>\n<p>Frageau pleaded guilty on Sept. 13 to a felony count of making a\u2064 fraudulent claim for a health benefit. As part of his \u200dplea deal, multiple other felonies and sentencing enhancements were dismissed. However, \u2062he \u200cwill still be ordered to pay $11.7 million in restitution.<\/p>\n<p>The sentencing is scheduled for March 13, and Frageau is expected to receive a two-year prison term. This case highlights the\u200b serious consequences of participating \u200din fraudulent schemes.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<h2>Related Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/ex-social-worker-gets-nearly-5-years-in-prison-for-identity-theft-scheme-5493915?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\">Ex-Social Worker Gets Nearly \u20635 Years in Prison for Identity Theft Scheme<\/a><\/h3>\n<p>9\/18\/2023<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/riverside-man-arrested-for-74000-jewelry-theft-from-kohls-in-seal-beach-5493075?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\">Riverside Man Arrested for $74,000 Jewelry Theft From Kohl&#8217;s in Seal Beach<\/a><\/h3>\n<p>9\/17\/2023<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Frageau&#8217;s co-defendants, Steven\u200d Lomonaco, Mahyar &#8220;Christian&#8221; Mohases, Nocholas Reeves, and Robert Williams, are still awaiting trial on multiple charges related to insurance fraud\u2063 and money laundering.<\/p>\n<p>According to Lomonaco&#8217;s attorney,\u200b Jack Earley, his client was involved in \u200bcivil litigation, which has since been settled. Earley claims that the payments made were referral fees, a common practice in \u200bthe industry.<\/p>\n<p>Prosecutors\u200d allege that Mohases, Frageau, \u200bWilliams, and Reeves recruited patients with addictions from across the \u200ccountry to stay at Casa Bella International Inc., owned by Lomonaco. Lomonaco allegedly paid \u2064up to \u2062$10,000 per patient who stayed at the sober living facility for more than a month.<\/p>\n<p>Orange County District Attorney\u200d Todd Spitzer accuses the defendants of\u2063 preying on vulnerable individuals and exploiting \u2063their addictions for profit. He emphasizes the importance of cracking down on \u200bsuch criminals to protect substance abuse patients and their loved ones.<\/p>\n<p>The prosecutors also claim that the \u2064defendants used a nonprofit organization to launder money for insurance \u200bpremiums.<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> What agencies were \u200cinvolved\u200d in\u2064 the\u2063 investigation of\u2063 the kickback scheme at the sober-living \u2062facility in Orange County?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Uled for Jan. 12, 2022, in the \u2063Ronald Reagan Federal Building and Courthouse in Santa\u200c Ana. The case has been \u2063under investigation \u2064by the Federal Bureau of Investigation \u200d(FBI), the \u200dCalifornia Department of Justice, and the Orange County District Attorney&#8217;s Office.<\/p>\n<p>The \u200dkickback scheme, which allegedly occurred between\u200b 2014 and 2018, involved Frageau conspiring\u2063 with others to defraud\u200d insurance companies by submitting fraudulent claims for \u200cservices that\u2063 were not\u2062 provided. The \u2064<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/man-pleads-guilty-in-sober-living-facility-fraud-case\/\" title=\"Man admits guilt in fraud case involving sober living facility.\">scheme primarily targeted addiction\u200c treatment\u2064 services provided<\/a> by the sober-living\u2064 facility in Orange\u200c County.<\/p>\n<p>According to \u200dcourt documents, Frageau and his\u2064 co-conspirators operated a\u2063 network of shell companies that were used to launder money and hide the kickbacks. The\u2064 fraudulent claims for services submitted to insurance companies amounted to millions \u2064of dollars. \u200cThe \u200bkickbacks were then\u2064 shared\u200c among\u200b Frageau and his \u2064co-conspirators.<\/p>\n<p>The investigation into the scheme began in 2017 \u2063when an insurance company detected suspicious billing practices \u2063from the sober-living facility. The subsequent probe uncovered a complex web of \u2062fraudulent activities involving multiple individuals \u2062and entities.<\/p>\n<p>Frageau&#8217;s guilty plea is\u2064 a significant\u200b milestone in the ongoing investigation. It showcases the commitment of \u200claw enforcement \u2063agencies to protect the integrity\u200c of the \u200bhealthcare system and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/conservatives-speak-out-after-russell-brand-accused-of-raping-4-women-including-teen\/\" title=\"Conservatives condemn Russell Brand for alleged rape of 4 women, including a teenager.\">hold \u200cindividuals accountable<\/a> \u200bfor their involvement \u2062in fraudulent schemes. The\u2064 restitution order of $11.7 \u2064million also \u200dhighlights the severity \u2064of the financial \u200bimpact\u200b caused by the \u200bkickback scheme.<\/p>\n<p>The case \u200dserves as a \u2062reminder \u200bof the importance of maintaining transparency and ethical practices\u2062 in the healthcare industry. \u200cFraudulent activities, such as kickback schemes, not only undermine \u200bthe trust between healthcare \u2063professionals and\u2064 patients but \u200dalso contribute to rising\u200b healthcare costs for everyone \u2063involved.<\/p>\n<p>The Santa Ana \u200cman&#8217;s \u200bguilty plea demonstrates the cooperation \u200dbetween federal \u200cand state agencies in combating healthcare fraud. It \u2063also serves as a warning to others\u2063 who may be tempted to engage \u2064in similar criminal activities. \u2064The Department of Justice is committed to prosecuting\u2063 individuals involved in\u200c fraudulent schemes\u2063 to \u200bthe fullest extent of the law.<\/p>\n<p>As the \u2062sentencing hearing approaches, the court\u2064 will have the \u200bopportunity \u2063to consider the\u2064 extent\u200d of the harm caused by Frageau&#8217;s actions and determine an appropriate punishment. The case serves as a reminder that healthcare fraud \u200dis a serious offense with severe consequences.<\/p>\n<p>In conclusion, James Frageau&#8217;s\u200d guilty plea in the multi-million dollar kickback scheme at a sober-living facility in Orange \u2063County highlights the importance\u200c of combating healthcare fraud. It underscores the\u2062 commitment of law enforcement agencies\u200c to protect \u2064the integrity of \u200dthe\u200c healthcare system and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/potential-jurors-in-trumps-georgia-case-express-divergent-views\/\" title=\"Trump's Georgia case elicits mixed opinions from potential jurors.\">holds individuals accountable<\/a> for their illegal actions. The case serves as a reminder of the\u2063 need for transparency\u200d and ethical practices in the healthcare industry to \u2064ensure the\u200c well-being \u2062of patients and \u200bthe sustainability \u2064of the system.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>33-year-old Temecula man, James Frageau, has pleaded guilty to his involvement in a multi-million dollar kickback scheme at an Orange County sober-living facility. Court records reveal that he is expected to serve a two-year prison sentence starting next year.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":410,"featured_media":2038038,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[543],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2038037","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-epoch-times"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2038037","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/410"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2038037"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2038037\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2038038"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2038037"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2038037"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2038037"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}