February 8, 2016
Las Vegas, NV – Nevada Attorney General Adam Paul Laxalt announced that Shy Azoulay, 37, of Las Vegas, pleaded guilty for his role in a healthcare insurance scam. Azoulay pleaded guilty to one count of multiple transactions involving fraud or deceit in the course of an enterprise or occupation, a category “B” felony, and one count of insurance fraud, a category “D” felony. The fraudulent acts were committed between September 2011 and July 2012.
Azoulay participated in a scheme to defraud customers of a personal training business by charging their health insurance companies for medical services that were never provided. He and three codefendants operated the personal training business under the company names of Human Performance Enhancement and My Wellness Expert. They billed more than $800,000 and were paid close to $100,000 before the insurance companies started denying claims.
“This complex scheme not only defrauded victims out of their hard-earned money, but Nevada’s taxpayers who are forced to pay through higher premiums,” said Laxalt. “My Office will work to safeguard the wallets of Nevadans by investigating and prosecuting health insurance frauds like this one.”
Azoulay is the second of four defendants to enter a guilty plea in this case. The trial for the two remaining defendants, Richard Ruppert and Charlene Sippio, is scheduled to begin on April 18, 2016. Ruppert and Sippio each face 64 felony charges for their roles in the scheme. Unless and until defendants Ruppert and Sippio are proven guilty, they are presumed innocent.
Multiple transactions involving fraud or deceit in the course of an enterprise or occupation is punishable by up to 20 years of imprisonment and a fine of no more than $10,000. Insurance fraud is punishable by up to four years of imprisonment and a fine of no more than $5,000. The sentencing hearing for Azoulay is scheduled for June 6, 2016 in the Eighth Judicial District Court.
This case was investigated by the Attorney General’s Insurance Fraud Unit, and is being prosecuted by Deputy Attorneys General Michael C. Kovac and Behnaz Salimian.
To view the criminal Indictment for Shy Azoulay, click here. If you believe you have been a victim of healthcare fraud, you may file a complaint with our office.
AZOULAY, SHY SHALOM
(Photo Courtesy of the
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department)
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