Federal Jury Convicts Simon Katz of Healthcare Fraud Conspiracy
A federal jury in San Francisco found Simon Katz guilty of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. This verdict followed a six-day trial overseen by U.S. District Judge James Donato, according to the Department of Justice. Katz, a 43-year-old resident of Boca Raton, Florida, collaborated with his wife, Veronica Katz, and two former employees of HealthNow Home Healthcare, where his wife served as CEO.
The trial uncovered that Katz conspired to defraud Medicare. Fraudulent activities included allowing unqualified individuals to offer patient care beyond their scope, billing Medicare for unrendered services, and submitting false records to California Department of Public Health (CDPH) inspectors to maintain Medicare billing. Katz also instructed former employees to mislead federal investigators, concealing the fraudulent activities.
Between October 2018 and November 2020, HealthNow received over $3 million through such fraudulent claims, while Simon Katz personally received $300,000. In an attempt to obstruct the investigation, Katz allegedly advised a former employee in October 2019 to provide federal agents with false information about nurse training and supervision.
Simon Katz is the fourth person convicted in connection with this scheme. Veronica Katz pleaded guilty in April 2024 and was sentenced to two years in December 2024, with a requirement to repay $543,634.34 to Medicare and a $50,000 fine. Vennesa Herrera, a former HealthNow employee, pleaded guilty in August 2021 to conspiracy charges, as did Pharadja Andrews. Both await further court dates on August 3, 2026.
U.S. Attorney Craig H. Missakian highlighted the fraud's impact on taxpayers and noted ongoing efforts to combat such schemes. FBI Special Agent in Charge Scott Schelble and HHS-OIG Special Agent in Charge Robb R. Breeden recognized the extensive collaboration among federal and state bodies. Simon Katz remains detained, facing up to 20 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. The prosecution is led by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chris Highsmith and Kevin Yeh, with support from Kevin Costello and Lynette Dixon. The investigation involved the FBI, HHS-OIG, and the California Department of Public Health.