Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
Authorities in the United States have arrested Cashmir Chinedu Luke, the CEO of home-care provider Four Corners Health LLC, at San Francisco International Airport as he attempted to board a flight to Nigeria. Federal prosecutors say Luke orchestrated a five-year fraud scheme in which he bilked the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) out of more than $7 million by submitting thousands of false claims for in-home care services that were never provided.
According to a criminal complaint filed by the U.S. Department of Justice, the fraudulent billing ran from December 2019 through July 2024, during which Four Corners submitted roughly 10,000 bogus claims under the VA’s Veterans Community Care Program. The false claims included duplicate bills, charges for hours caretakers never worked, billing for days when no caregiver visited the veteran, and even care allegedly provided to veterans who had died.
Luke, the sole owner and billing signatory of Four Corners, is accused of personally profiting from the scheme by receiving reimbursements directly to his bank account and then spending or transferring the proceeds — including through accounts in Asia and Africa.
The home-care services company reportedly operated across several California counties — including Fresno, Tulare, Merced, Mariposa, Madera, San Francisco and Contra Costa — and catered to elderly or disabled veterans purportedly in need of daily assistance. Prosecutors allege the company never actually provided these services.
If convicted, Luke faces up to 10 years in prison and a possible $250,000 fine under federal law. Prosecutors note that any sentence will be determined at sentencing, in accordance with applicable statutory factors and federal guidelines.
This is not Luke’s first run-in with the law. Court records show that in 2009 he was convicted in Maryland for identity-document fraud and aggravated identity theft, in which he also committed perjury under oath. He was sentenced then to 27 months in federal prison plus three years of supervised release. At that time, the court found that he operated under multiple identities, using stolen credentials from patients and relatives in a previous scheme.
Federal investigators said the fraud case was brought to light following a comprehensive review by the VA Office of Inspector General, after which the U.S. Attorney’s Office filed criminal charges. The arrest at SFO has halted what appears to have been an attempt by Luke to flee the country.
Stone Reporters’ remark: This case underscores how deeply vulnerable public-service benefit systems like the VA can be exploited through unscrupulous billing schemes — a situation that often leaves veterans deprived of rightful care and trust in institutions severely undermined. The arrest of a foreign-born executive highlights the global reach and complexity of such fraud networks.
A professional observation: Beyond recovery of funds, this prosecution may serve as a deterrent signal to other care-service providers who exploit public health programs. It also underscores the importance of stricter oversight, regular auditing, and verification of care-delivery claims — especially for services catering to veterans and other vulnerable populations.
As the case moves toward trial, all eyes will be on how U.S. authorities handle the prosecution and whether recovered funds will be returned to affected veterans — a key step in restoring faith in oversight and accountability frameworks.
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