Janaki Chettiar

In August 2011, Janaki Chettiar was indicted on charges of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and money laundering.

Chettiar, a resident of Oakland County, Michigan, in suburban Detroit, was a registered physical therapist who allegedly performed physical therapy services for Physicians Choice Home healthcare, First Care Home healthcare, and Quantum Home Care, Inc., all located in Livonia, Michigan, also in the Detroit area. Medicare paid Chettiar and her co-conspirators approximately $13.8 million in false claims for services that were never provided.

According to the indictment, Chettiar and her co-conspirators submitted false and fraudulent claims to Medicare, using Medicare patient numbers, which they used to bill for services that were never provided. They obtained the numbers by offering and paying kickbacks and bribes to Medicare patients.

Chettiar and her co-conspirators fabricated medical documents (home health certifications, plans of care, therapy notes, evaluations, recertifications, discharges, and other records) to bill Medicare for therapy.

Chettiar was arrested on September 1, 2011. After her initial court appearance, she fled the country. Investigators believe that Chettiar maybe be in Canada or India.