The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is actively seeking information on four suspects. These individuals, linked to a Pakistani call center, allegedly orchestrated a massive $703 million Medicare fraud scheme. The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) identified the suspects as Fizza Farid, Faizan Saleem, Shearyar Arif, and Ruknuddin “Rick” Charolia. Currently, authorities believe the four suspects are hiding in either Pakistan or the UAE.
How the Operation Used AI & Call Centers
The suspects executed this scheme using a Pakistan-based call center named Hello International Marketing Solutions (HIMS). Through this facility, the fugitives obtained Medicare beneficiary identification numbers (BINs). They allegedly secured this sensitive personal data through theft and deception.
Medicare primarily serves Americans aged 65 and older, alongside certain younger individuals with disabilities. The Pakistani call center contacted these beneficiaries to secure consent for various medical products. Consequently, the group flooded Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans with fraudulent claims. These claims billed the government for over-the-counter COVID-19 test kits, durable medical equipment (DME), and genetic tests. Furthermore, these products were often not requested, medically unnecessary, or simply never provided to the patients.
Notably, the operation leveraged modern technology to bypass security checks. The suspects allegedly used Artificial Intelligence to fake patient consent specifically for the COVID-19 test kits.
Investigators released specific details regarding Fizza Farid. She worked directly on behalf of HIMS. Additionally, she acted as the nominee owner of a DME provider. Her co-conspirators recruited her to illegally assist in the sale and distribution of stolen Medicare BINs. To avoid facing these charges, Farid fled the United States. Authorities believe she escaped to Pakistan in late April 2025 to conceal her involvement in the massive scheme.
The Pattern of Healthcare Call Center Fraud
This incident does not mark the first time Pakistani nationals have faced accusations of US healthcare fraud. Earlier this year, in February 2026, authorities in Chicago indicted two Pakistani nationals. Burhan Mirza, 31, a resident of Pakistan, and Kashif Iqbal, 48, a resident of Texas, allegedly participated in a separate $10 million fraud scheme. According to an indictment filed in the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, they targeted Medicare and private insurers by submitting false claims for medical equipment and services that they never actually provided.
Despite the severity of these new charges, the HHS released a statement reminding the public that the accusations against the four HIMS suspects are merely allegations. The law presumes all four individuals innocent until proven guilty.
