Dental Practice Owners Charged with Fraud and RICO Conspiracy

Multiple dental practice owners and co-conspirators were charged in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania for allegedly engaging in a multifaceted racketeering conspiracy through a multi-state network of dental practices and related dental businesses.

On Jan. 18, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging 12 individuals with operating and participating in a series of dental practices and related companies (the Savani Group) that engaged in visa fraud, healthcare fraud, wire fraud involving federal tax evasion, and money laundering. Six of the defendants were charged with being part of a racketeer influenced corrupt organization (RICO) conspiracy based on their roles in the Savani Group, and three defendants were also charged with obstruction of justice.

According to court documents, the defendants were allegedly part of a wide-ranging scheme to defraud Medicaid, U.S. Immigration authorities, the IRS, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and to launder the fraud proceeds. Bhaskar Savani, 57, and Niranjan Savani, 51, both of Maple Glenn, Pennsylvania and both licensed dentists, owned and controlled the Savani Group dental practices. Arun Savani, 55, of Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, owned and managed the Savani Group companies and was responsible for the Savani Group’s financial affairs. The three brothers – Bhaskar, Niranjan, and Arun – allegedly conspired to recruit foreign workers for U.S. work visas while concealing the workers’ true job titles and responsibilities. 

Sunil Philip, 57, of Newton, Pennsylvania, was an outside accountant for the Savani Group and personal accountant of Bhaskar, Arun, and Niranjan Savani. Philip, along with Bhaskar, Arun, and Niranjan Savani, allegedly engaged in a wire fraud scheme to evade federal taxes.

Amen Dhyllon, 44, of Wynnewood, Pennsylvania, was a licensed dentist for the Savani Group. Aleksandra Radomiak, 45, of Lansdale, Pennsylvania, was an employee and dental practice manager of the Savani Group. Dhyllon and Radomiak, along with Bhaskar, Arun, and Niranjan Savani, allegedly executed a scheme to use nominee owners of “on paper” dental practices to obtain and continue to profit from Medicaid contracts after managed care companies terminated the Savani Group dental practices’ Pennsylvania Medicaid contracts.

Jon Julian, 70, of South Carolina, was a licensed dentist for the Savani Group. Along with Bhaskar and Niranjan Savani, Julian allegedly conspired to place adulterated and misbranded dental devices in U.S. commerce. 

Vivek Savani, 35, Bharatkumar Parasana, 55, and Hiteshkumar Goyani, 39, all of North Wales, Pennsylvania; and Piyusha Patel, 41, of Ankenny, Iowa, were employed under the H1B visa program under the pretense of serving in specialty occupations for the Savani Group but actually performed office support roles for the Savani Group’s dental practices.

Susan Malpartida, 27, of Passaic, New Jersey, served in an office support function and allegedly obstructed the investigation when she made false statements about a Savani Group employee’s job function.

The defendants and their charges:

Bhaskar, Arun, and Niranjan Savani, Sunil Phillip, and Aleksandra Radiomak made their initial court appearances on Jan. 20 in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania made the announcement.

The FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service, Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General, FDA, Department of Labor Office of the Inspector General, Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General, Iowa Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, and Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the case.

Senior Policy Advisor Darrin L. McCullough and Trial Attorney Colin W. Trundle of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leslie S. Bonney, Meaghan A. Flannery, Sarah L. Grieb, and Kevin L. Jayne for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.