US federal authorities have arrested a Nigerian-born home care executive in California over allegations that he orchestrated a seven-million-dollar fraud involving falsified medical care claims for elderly military veterans.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office confirmed the arrest for the Eastern District of California, which disclosed that the suspect was taken into custody at San Francisco International Airport while attempting to board a flight to Nigeria.
Officials identified the suspect as Cashmir Chinedu Luke, believed to be sixty six years old, and the chief executive of Four Corners Health LLC, a home care provider licensed to offer unskilled in-home services to elderly beneficiaries under the Veterans Community Care Program.
Court filings state that Luke submitted thousands of fraudulent claims for services that were never delivered, including payments for veterans who were no longer alive.
The News Chronicle observed that the claims span multiple counties across California, where the company was accredited to provide routine care such as supervision, daily assistance and basic nursing support.
Investigators allege that between December 2019 and July 2024, Luke submitted nearly ten thousand false claims, resulting in reimbursements that exceeded seven million dollars.
Prosecutors say the alleged scheme involved duplicate billings, hours of care that were never provided, and fabricated documentation for days when caretakers were not present.
Funds received from the Department of Veterans Affairs were reportedly moved rapidly across several bank accounts within and outside the United States, with some used for personal spending.
Authorities added that if the allegations are proven in court, Luke could face a maximum sentence of ten years in prison and a fine of two hundred and fifty thousand dollars.
The U.S. Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General led the investigation, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Calvin Lee handling the prosecution. The charges remain allegations, and Luke is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
