Two Pennsylvania brothers face hundreds of years in prison after a federal jury found them guilty of running a decade-long fraud operation. The scheme drained over $32 million from Medicaid and exploited the H-1B visa system to bring foreign workers into the country illegally.
Who Are the Savani Brothers?
Bhaskar Savani and Arun Savani operated a network of businesses under the banner of the Savani Group. Bhaskar worked as a licensed dentist, which gave the group access to healthcare billing systems. Together, the brothers built what prosecutors describe as a sprawling criminal enterprise that combined immigration fraud with healthcare billing scams. Federal authorities charged them formally in 2023, and the jury returned guilty verdicts after examining years of accumulated evidence.
Their case drew widespread attention — not only for the scale of the fraud but also for their very public social media activity during the investigation.
How the Fraud Scheme Worked
Medicaid Billing Fraud at the Core
At the heart of the Savani operation was a coordinated effort to defraud Pennsylvania’s Medicaid program. The brothers created fraudulent medical billing structures through sham healthcare entities. Prosecutors say the group falsified claims and fabricated billing records over nearly a decade. As a result, the state’s Medicaid system lost more than $32 million in public funds.
U.S. Attorney David Metcalf for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania described the case as involving “a complex web of fraudulent billing practices and sham medical entities.” He added that the investigation required coordination across multiple state and federal partner agencies to fully unravel.
A Multi-Layered Criminal Enterprise
The Savani Group did not limit itself to healthcare fraud alone. Instead, prosecutors say the brothers layered multiple schemes on top of each other. These included money laundering, wire fraud, conspiracy to defraud the U.S. Treasury, and obstruction of justice. Federal authorities said the brothers and their associate engaged in deception “at every turn” as they ran the operation.
H-1B Visa Abuse and Worker Exploitation
Falsified Documents to Bring in Foreign Workers
One major component of the scheme involved the H-1B visa system. Prosecutors allege the brothers falsified H-1B visa documents to bring foreign nationals into the United States under fraudulent pretenses. These workers were then employed in ways that violated the terms of their visa status.
Wage Kickbacks Forced on Workers
Moreover, investigators found that workers were coerced into returning a portion of their wages as kickbacks. This meant that foreign workers, already vulnerable due to their visa status, faced additional financial exploitation at the hands of the Savani Group. The arrangement allowed the brothers to profit further while increasing their control over the workforce.
This type of visa fraud adds significant pressure to the broader H-1B debate, which remains a contentious issue in immigration policy discussions across the United States.
The Kash Patel Connection
During the period when federal investigators were actively examining the Savani brothers’ business operations, the brothers posted photos of themselves with Kash Patel on social media. They publicly celebrated his appointment as Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Those posts quickly drew scrutiny once the extent of the fraud came to light. While there is no suggestion that Patel had any knowledge of the brothers’ alleged crimes, the timing and visibility of those social media posts raised questions and drew considerable public attention to the case.
Charges, Convictions, and Sentencing
A Wide Range of Criminal Counts
The federal jury convicted both brothers on an extensive list of charges. These include:
- Conspiracy to conduct a racketeering enterprise
- Conspiracy to commit visa fraud and visa fraud
- Conspiracy to obstruct justice
- Conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and healthcare fraud
- Money laundering conspiracy
- Concealment and transactional money laundering
- Conspiracy to defraud the U.S. Treasury
- Wire fraud
Potential Sentences
Bhaskar Savani faces a potential sentence of up to 420 years in prison. His brother Arun Savani faces up to 415 years. Their sentencing hearings are scheduled for July 8 and July 9, respectively, before U.S. District Judge Jeffrey L. Schmehl.
The Role of Employee Ola Radomiak
Aleksandra “Ola” Radomiak, a longtime Savani Group employee, was also convicted. Prosecutors argued she played a central role in sustaining the fraud operation. The jury found her guilty of conspiracy to conduct a racketeering enterprise, conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, and healthcare fraud. Her sentencing is set for July 14.
What This Case Means for Immigration and Healthcare Fraud
This conviction sends a clear message about the consequences of exploiting both the immigration and healthcare systems simultaneously. The case exposed how fraudulent visa filings can work hand-in-hand with Medicaid scams to generate millions in illicit profits.
Furthermore, it underscores the importance of inter-agency cooperation. Multiple state and federal agencies worked together over several years to build this case. U.S. Attorney Metcalf noted that fraud and abuse cost American taxpayers billions of dollars annually and deprive the healthcare system of vital resources.
For the Indian American community and the broader immigrant population, this case is a sobering reminder that association with political figures offers no shield from federal law enforcement — and that complex fraud schemes, however well-constructed, do eventually unravel.
