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Doctors, nurses arrested in Southern California health care fraud investigation

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Doctors, nurses arrested in Southern California health care fraud investigation


LOS ANGELES — The U.S. Department of Justice on Thursday announced what they called a major health care fraud takedown throughout Southern California, which included the arrest of doctors and nurses.

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli was joined during a press conference by several law enforcement agencies including the FBI, and Dr. Mehmet Oz, head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

They said they served a series of search and arrest warrants throughout the region, from Covina to Lakewood in Los Angeles County. Eight people were arrested and more than a dozen are being charged for suspected health fraud.

They also mentioned fraudulent hospice care.

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“These defendants recruited beneficiaries who were not terminally ill, and paid them to pose as patients receiving hospice care. Medicare then paid millions of dollars – hundreds of millions of dollars – on false and fraudulent claims submitted by fraudsters,” said Essayli.

Among those arrested were a Covina couple. Prosecutors said 66-year-old psychologist Gladwin Gill and his wife, Amelou Gill, a registered nurse, operated a fraudulent hospice business out of Glendale.

“This particular hospice submitted more than $5.2 million in fraudulent claims, and Medicare actually paid out more than $4 million,” Essayli said.

Gill’s attorney told our sister station, ABC7 Eyewitness News in Los Angeles, he denies the allegations and looks forward to his day in court.

Oz announced a broader review of hospice providers in the state.

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“We’re going to review every single hospice in California to make sure that they’re all appropriate, and we hope to do that expeditiously. We’ll do it this year,” Oz said.

During the news conference, federal authorities were questioned about a video California Gov. Gavin Newsom said in January his office was reviewing. In that video, Oz, who is Turkish American, was shown standing in front of an Armenian-owned bakery in Van Nuys while alleging widespread fraud in the area.

Essayli confirmed that none of the defendants named Thursday were connected to that video. Oz responded to outcry that his accusations, which the business owner denounced as false, were discriminatory.

“I was stating the facts as they’ve been explained to me, and we have a lot of evidence of where the fraud is, just looking at the numbers,” Oz said.

Oz did not provide any evidence against a specific business in connection to that video. He suggested that half of Los Angeles County hospice care facilities are fraudulent, pointing to survival percentages as evidence.

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“World experts at CMS say if you’ve got 100% or near survival, certainly if you’ve got a survival over 50% for population that’s supposed to have passed in six months, you’ve got a problem,” he said.

Newsom responded to accusations that California had not done enough to address hospice fraud, saying in part, “The Trump Administration – home to the biggest fraudsters on Earth – is trying to blame California for issues with THEIR federal programs.”

His press office said the state has taken action for years, including suspending more than 280 licenses and banning new ones.

Copyright © 2026 KABC Television, LLC. All rights reserved.



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California

California Politics 360 Full Episode | $13M placed in bets on CA governor’s race

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California Politics 360 Full Episode | M placed in bets on CA governor’s race


Ashley Zavala sits down with Sacramento Assembly Member Maggy Krell about what more she says should be done.

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California Politics 360 Full Episode | $13M placed in bets on CA governor’s race

Ashley Zavala sits down with Sacramento Assembly Member Maggy Krell about what more she says should be done.

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California Politics 360 Full Episode | $13M placed in bets on CA governor’s race

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Ashley Zavala sits down with Sacramento Assembly Member Maggy Krell about what more she says should be done.

Updated: 8:25 AM PDT Apr 5, 2026

Editorial Standards

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At least $13 million has been placed in bets on the California governor’s race. In a state that doesn’t allow online sports betting, why are people allowed to bet on politics? The two most popular betting and prediction sites – Kalshi & Polymarket – are facing a flurry of lawsuits. Last week, Washington filed a lawsuit against Kalshi. Last month, Arizona’s attorney general filed criminal charges against the company. This week, California Sen. Adam Schiff joined three other senators in proposing legislation to block insiders from betting. Gov. Newsom also made some moves on the state level, banning state employees or his appointees and their family members from making bets on these sites using state information. Ashley Zavala sits down with Sacramento Assembly Member Maggy Krell about what more she says should be done. This year, California voters will decide who they want to be their next governor. Every week leading to the June primary, we will hear from one of the top 10 candidates running for the state’s highest position. This week, Ashley Zavala sat down with Republican Steve Hilton to get his thoughts on the major issues impacting Californians. New changes went into effect this week, impacting who is eligible for CalFresh. Ashley Zavala sits down with the Executive Director of the County Welfare Directors Association, Carlos Marquez III. We take a closer look at the responsibilities for California’s Insurance Commissioner ahead of the June primary.KCRA 3 Political Director Ashley Zavala reports in-depth coverage of top California politics and policy issues. She is also the host of “California Politics 360.” Get informed each Sunday at 8:30 a.m. on KCRA 3.

At least $13 million has been placed in bets on the California governor’s race. In a state that doesn’t allow online sports betting, why are people allowed to bet on politics?

The two most popular betting and prediction sites – Kalshi & Polymarket – are facing a flurry of lawsuits. Last week, Washington filed a lawsuit against Kalshi. Last month, Arizona’s attorney general filed criminal charges against the company.

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This week, California Sen. Adam Schiff joined three other senators in proposing legislation to block insiders from betting. Gov. Newsom also made some moves on the state level, banning state employees or his appointees and their family members from making bets on these sites using state information.

Ashley Zavala sits down with Sacramento Assembly Member Maggy Krell about what more she says should be done.

This year, California voters will decide who they want to be their next governor. Every week leading to the June primary, we will hear from one of the top 10 candidates running for the state’s highest position. This week, Ashley Zavala sat down with Republican Steve Hilton to get his thoughts on the major issues impacting Californians.

New changes went into effect this week, impacting who is eligible for CalFresh. Ashley Zavala sits down with the Executive Director of the County Welfare Directors Association, Carlos Marquez III.

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We take a closer look at the responsibilities for California’s Insurance Commissioner ahead of the June primary.


KCRA 3 Political Director Ashley Zavala reports in-depth coverage of top California politics and policy issues. She is also the host of “California Politics 360.” Get informed each Sunday at 8:30 a.m. on KCRA 3.

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Loved ones search for missing 15-year-old Southern California girl 

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Loved ones search for missing 15-year-old Southern California girl 


Loved ones are searching for a Southern California girl who has been missing for more than six months.

Keylin Reyes-Moreno, 15, was reported missing on Sept. 22, 2025, according to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC).

Reyes-Moreno was last seen in the Pacoima area.

She is 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighs 120 pounds. She has brown hair and dark brown eyes.

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Keylin Reyes-Moreno, 15, was last seen in Pacoima on Sept. 22, 2025. (National Center for Missing & Exploited Children)

She may have been heading to the Los Angeles area when she disappeared.

Her family did not mention any health or mental issues that would’ve contributed to her disappearance. They have not heard from her since and are very concerned for her well-being.

Anyone who may know Keylin Reyes-Moreno’s whereabouts or has information on the case is asked to call NCMEC at 1-800-843-5678 or the Los Angeles Police Department at 877-275-5273.



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Springs Fire in southern California reaches 45% containment as evacuations continue

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Springs Fire in southern California reaches 45% containment as evacuations continue


RIVERSIDE, Calif. — Crews were making progress Saturday battling a fast-growing and smoky wildfire in southern California that broke out Friday morning, prompting mandatory evacuations and warnings.

Now encompassing roughly 6.3 square miles (about 16 square kilometers) east of Moreno Valley in Riverside County, the Springs Fire was 45% percent contained on Saturday, according to a state website. It was 25% contained on Friday.

More than a dozen zones in the county remained under mandatory evacuation orders or evacuation warnings, while six have been dropped. It was not immediately known how many households were affected by the orders.

Firefighters were battling strong winds. The National Weather Service issued an advisory for 15 mph to 20 mph winds, with gusts up to 45 mph, into Saturday afternoon. An air quality alert has also been issued for harmful fine particle pollution levels due to wildfire smoke.

Hundreds of people have been battling the blaze using helicopters, engines and water tenders. It’s located in a populated unincorporated part of Riverside County, in a recreational area near the city of Moreno Valley, which has a population of roughly 200,000. The city is 10 miles southeast of Riverside and 64 miles east of Los Angeles.



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