Rock Island, Illinois — The former owner of a nursing home here has been charged in an alleged scheme that prosecutors say generated more than $64 million in fraudulent Medicare claims for durable medical equipment.
Rajiv Shah, who until April held a majority stake in St. Anthony’s Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, faces federal charges of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and wire fraud, according to an indictment filed in the Southern District of Florida. The case is part of the Department of Justice’s 2026 National Health Care Fraud Takedown, a sweeping enforcement effort that has charged 455 defendants nationwide.
The indictment alleges Shah used his medical billing company, ACC-Q Data LLC, to help durable medical equipment suppliers submit claims to Medicare for equipment that was either medically unnecessary or ineligible for reimbursement. Between June 2019 and December 2025, the scheme allegedly resulted in more than $64 million in false claims, with Medicare paying out over $23 million. Shah personally collected roughly $1.1 million in reimbursements, prosecutors say.
Shah denies the allegations. In an interview with industry sources, he said he handled billing for various companies but had no knowledge of fraudulent activity and stopped working with the firms in question by October 2023. He also pointed out that other individuals connected to the equipment suppliers have already been convicted.
A Takedown With National Reach
The charges against Shah represent a small piece of a much larger crackdown. Federal officials say this year’s health care fraud takedown involves schemes totaling more than $6.5 billion in false claims, and enforcement actions have included provider suspensions, billing privilege revocations, and asset seizures exceeding $182 million.
Importantly, the indictment does not allege any wrongdoing at St. Anthony’s itself, and the nursing home is not named as a defendant. Shah’s involvement, according to the filing, centered on his billing firm rather than direct facility operations.
The case adds to a growing pattern of federal scrutiny over nursing home operators and their affiliated businesses. Earlier this month, a federal appeals court upheld $15 million in restitution against two Pennsylvania nursing homes that falsified staffing records to secure Medicare and Medicaid funding, signaling that courts are taking a hard line on fraud in the sector.
Nursing home operators across the country are watching closely as the DOJ continues its aggressive enforcement posture. With the 2026 takedown already one of the largest in recent memory, the message from federal prosecutors is clear: billing practices tied to Medicare are under intense review, and the stakes for operators and their business partners are rising fast.
