Fugitive doctor sentenced in absentia for $1.5M Medicare fraud scheme
A doctor in California who pleaded guilty to criminal healthcare fraud in November 2024 is on the run and failed to appear for her Thursday sentencing. In absentia, she was sentenced to over four years in federal prison by a court in Los Angeles—however, that punishment won’t begin until authorities find her.
Sixty-one-year-old Lilit Gagikovna Baltaian, MD, admitted to defrauding Medicare of nearly $1.5 million by submitting bogus medical claims, largely stemming from referrals for homecare treatment—certifications for which she falsified, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) said in a statement shortly after her guilty plea.
According to prosecutors, the board-certified physician was a legitimate Medicare provider. However, the patients she approved to receive care through at least four at-home services in California never actually received it. Those organizations billed Medicare for patients they were not treating, including for time Baltaian allegedly spent providing non-existent homecare services. In return, she received cash kickbacks, court documents revealed.
Baltaian also billed Medicare directly for the referrals, signing fraudulent certifications. The scheme spanned six years, from July 2012 to July 2018, according to the DOJ’s investigation.
The government calculated the total loss at nearly $1.5 million, including time and care supposedly delivered by Baltaian and the four homecare co-conspirators. However, in announcing the 2021 indictment against the doctor, the DOJ initially said the fraud totaled approximately $6 million.
The reduction was likely part of a plea agreement, under which Baltaian admitted to one count of healthcare fraud in November 2024. The initial sentencing was scheduled for April 2025.
However, that sentencing never took place, as the doctor is currently a wanted fugitive. A court finally sentenced her on June 12 to 54 months in federal prison. It is not clear if the sentence was harsher due to her absence than it would have been otherwise, or if she still faces additional charges for jumping bond.
The crimes were investigated through cooperation between the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Office of Inspector General (OIG).
A statement from the DOJ released on June 12 did not provide any clues regarding Baltaian’s likely whereabouts. At sentencing, she was also ordered to repay $1.5 million to the federal government.
Chad is an award-winning writer and editor with over 15 years of experience working in media. He has a decade-long professional background in healthcare, working as a writer and in public relations.