Home / Crime and Justice / Nurse Accused of $1B Medicare Fraud Scheme
Nurse Accused of $1B Medicare Fraud Scheme
20 Jun
Summary
- Owner accused of submitting $906 million in fraudulent claims.
- Allegedly overcharged government for medically unnecessary transplants.
- Funds from fraud allegedly funded lavish lifestyle and luxury items.
Marizel Yukee, a nurse from Las Vegas who owns several clinics, has been indicted in federal court for allegedly orchestrating a massive healthcare fraud scheme. Prosecutors contend that from October 2023 to April 2025, Yukee and her associates submitted $906 million in fraudulent claims to Medicare and Tricare.
These claims were reportedly for medically unnecessary allografts, a type of tissue transplant. Some patients allegedly died shortly after receiving these procedures. Yukee is also accused of accepting nearly $16 million in kickbacks from product distributors and overcharging the government for these allografts.
Investigators allege that a significant portion of the illicit gains funded Yukee's extravagant lifestyle. This included a multi-million dollar home in Hawaii, a resort in the Philippines, and numerous luxury items such as a Bulgari necklace and a Ferrari. Law enforcement seized substantial assets, including vehicles and cash.
