Home / Crime and Justice / Doctor Gets 15 Years for $45M Medicare Botox Fraud
Doctor Gets 15 Years for $45M Medicare Botox Fraud
31 Oct
Summary
- Doctor Violetta Mailyan sentenced to 15 years for defrauding Medicare.
- Fraud involved over $45 million in false Botox injection claims.
- She submitted claims while traveling, even from Mexico.
- Ordered to pay nearly $33 million in restitution.
Violetta Mailyan, a 45-year-old doctor from Glendale, California, received a 15-year prison sentence on October 29, 2026, for defrauding Medicare of more than $45 million. This extensive scheme involved submitting fraudulent claims for Botox injections through her practice, Healthy Way Medical Center. The Justice Department revealed that Mailyan billed for thousands of injections that were medically unnecessary or never administered.
Mailyan's fraudulent activities spanned a significant period, with claims submitted even when her clinic was closed, totaling over $19 million. Notably, she continued to bill Medicare for services while traveling domestically and internationally, including a trip to Mexico where she claimed over $200,000 in services while on vacation.
To cover her tracks, Mailyan falsified medical records and forged beneficiary signatures, even fabricating treatments for individuals incarcerated at the time. The court characterized the scheme as "breathtaking in scope and shocking in its duration." Proceeds from the fraud were used for luxury purchases, including vehicles and real estate.
In addition to her prison sentence, Mailyan was ordered to forfeit over $16 million in assets and pay $32,904,049.41 in restitution to Medicare. Federal authorities are committed to recovering these stolen funds.
