WASHINGTON: Two Pakistani nationals have been indicted for their alleged roles in a $10 million health care fraud sch­eme targeting medicare and private insurance programmes, the US Depart­ment of Justice announced on Thursday.

According to a federal indictment returned in Chicago, Burhan Mirza, 31, and Kashif Iqbal, 48, are accused of submitting fraudulent claims for medical services and equipment never provided.

The alleged scheme, operating throughout 2023 and 2024, involved nominee-owned laboratories and durable medical equipment providers.

Prosecutors said Mirza, a resident of Pakistan, obtained identifying info­rmation regarding indivi­duals and providers without their knowledge to support false claims.

Iqbal, who lived in Lav­on, Texas, is accused of la­­undering proceeds and co­­ordinating fund transfers from the US to Pakistan. The indictment claims he was also associated with several du­­rable medical eq­­uipment companies that submitted fra­udulent cla­i­­ms to insurers. The victims were often “vulnerable US citizens of Pakist­ani origin”, sources said.

Three co-schemers have already pleaded guilty: Mir Akbar Khan, 57, of West Chicago; Fasiur Rah­man Syed, 47, of Chicago; and Navaid Rasheed, 43, of Plano, Texas. All three await sentencing.

“Rooting out fraud is a priority for this Justice De­­partment,” Deputy At­­t­o­rney General Todd Blan­che said in a statement.

“The defendants didn’t just steal from a governm­e­­nt programme; they stole from taxpayers who fund the promise of healthcare in this country,” US Attor­ney Andrew S. Boutros for the Northern District of Illinois said. Mirza faces 12 counts of health care fraud and five counts of money laundering. Iqbal is char­g­­ed with 12 counts of health care fraud, six counts of money laundering and one count of making a false statement to law enforcement.

Published in Dawn, February 13th, 2026