Guwahati-born pharma tycoon arrested in $149 million US healthcare fraud case

Tonmoy Sharma, a Guwahati-born, US-based pharma entrepreneur and former CEO of Sovereign Health Group, has been arrested at Los Angeles International Airport in connection with a massive $149 million healthcare fraud case. 

According to India Today, Sharma, 61, originally from Guwahati and an alumnus of Dibrugarh Medical College, faces multiple federal charges in the United States.

The US Attorney’s Office (Central District of California) announced that Sharma has been indicted on eight counts, including four counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy, and three counts of illegal remuneration for patient referrals. 

His arrest on May 29 follows a lengthy federal investigation into the now-defunct Sovereign Health Group — an addiction treatment network that operated in Southern California.

According to prosecutors, Sharma and his co-defendants fraudulently enrolled patients in health insurance plans without their consent, submitted fake claims, and paid over $21 million in illegal kickbacks to secure patient referrals.

Also Read: How one Assam man duped India’s financial system using 20 identities, 20 PANs, and dozens of bank accounts

The US Department of Justice stated that the scam involved submitting more than $149 million in false claims to insurance providers. His co-accused, Paul Jin Sen Khor, was also arrested and has pleaded not guilty. 

The trial is scheduled for July 29.

Sharma, who interned at Delhi’s Safdarjung Hospital after graduating from Dibrugarh University in 1987, later moved abroad and became a prominent figure in psychiatric research and addiction treatment. He is the son of the late Phani Sharma, a known sports organiser from Guwahati and former owner of iconic cinemas like Anuradha, Rupayan, and Anupama.

The FBI had been investigating Sharma since 2017, conducting raids on his treatment facilities, his San Clemente headquarters, and his San Juan Capistrano residence.

Tonmoy Sharma is also known for authoring several books on mental health and dual-diagnosis treatment programs. His arrest has sent shockwaves through both the Assamese diaspora and the global medical community.