Tonmoy Sharma, a prominent Indian-origin psychiatrist and founder of the now-defunct Sovereign Health Group in California, has been arrested in the US in connection with a $149 million healthcare fraud case. The 61-year-old was taken into custody at Los Angeles International Airport on May 29, following an eight-count federal indictment.
Key Allegations Against Tonmoy Sharma:
-
Sharma fraudulently enrolled patients into health insurance plans without their knowledge.
-
His company billed insurers for unauthorised urinalysis tests, raking in over $29 million.
-
He allegedly paid over $21 million in illegal kickbacks to secure patient referrals.
-
He faces charges including:
-
4 counts of wire fraud
-
1 count of conspiracy
-
3 counts of illegal remunerations for referrals
-
Background on the Investigation:
-
The FBI began investigating Sovereign Health Group in June 2017.
-
Federal agents raided its San Clemente headquarters, treatment centres across Southern California, and Sharma's residence in San Juan Capistrano.
-
The company ultimately shut down in 2018.
Co-Accused:
-
Paul Jin Sen Khor, a co-defendant in the case, has been arrested and pleaded not guilty. His trial is scheduled for July 29.
Who is Tonmoy Sharma?
Sharma is a Guwahati-born psychiatrist known globally for his work on schizophrenia and cognitive neuroscience. A former student of Dibrugarh Medical College, he interned at Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi and later moved abroad, obtaining a UK medical licence in 1988. He gained prominence as a researcher in psychiatry, directing more than 20 clinical investigations and authoring 200+ peer-reviewed articles.
-
Sharma once served on editorial boards of major medical journals and co-authored five books.
-
He was the eldest son of late Phani Sharma, a cultural figure and cinema hall owner in Assam (Anuradha, Rupayan, and Anupama).
Despite his respected standing in psychiatric circles, Sharma's legacy is now tainted by what the US Justice Department describes as one of the most egregious cases of healthcare fraud in recent memory. If convicted, he faces severe federal penalties including significant prison time.
