Anchorage Physician Sentenced for Healthcare Fraud and Tax Evasion

An Anchorage physician received a six-and-a-half-year prison sentence, followed by three years of supervised release, for orchestrating a $12.5 million healthcare fraud scheme and evading over $4 million in taxes. Her spouse, a co-defendant, was sentenced to three years of probation with two years of home confinement.

Court documents indicate Dr. Claribel Tan and her husband, Daniel Tan, operated a rheumatology clinic from 2005. Specializing in autoimmune and musculoskeletal treatments, Dr. Tan prescribed injectable medications. Between 2009 and 2024, they misled patients and inflated billing to insurance companies.

The couple administered free samples and expired or unauthorized medications, disguising them as legitimate treatments. Insurers were billed for nearly 4,829 units when only 369 were purchased. Daniel Tan played a role in ordering limited medications and submitting false insurance claims.

The fraudulent activities endangered patients and led to over $12.5 million in losses to numerous insurance plans. Tax fraud was another issue, as false tax records obscured clinic profits, and tax filing was neglected, costing the IRS over $4.2 million in lost revenue.

A 2019 clinic search revealed improperly stored and expired samples. Despite temporarily correcting practices, fraudulent billing resumed by 2021, leading to a federal indictment in July 2024. In November 2025, the Tans pleaded guilty to healthcare fraud and tax evasion, agreeing to forfeit $10.4 million in assets and settle civil claims under the False Claims Act. Dr. Tan relinquished her medical license.

The investigation, conducted by federal agencies such as the IRS, FBI, and the Alaska Division of Insurance Investigation Unit, concluded with the Justice Department’s prosecution. More details are available on the Department of Justice’s website. Victims seeking restitution should contact federal authorities using the provided email.