• Source:JND
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Tonmoy Sharma, a 61-year-old Indian-origin psychiatrist and researcher, was arrested on May 29 at Los Angeles International Airport in connection with a massive healthcare fraud worth USD 149 million (approximately Rs 1,244 crore). Sharma, originally from Bamunimaidam in Guwahati, Assam, had established a prominent international career in psychiatry and mental health.

Sharma completed his MBBS from Dibrugarh University in 1987 and interned at Delhi’s Safdarjung Hospital. He later moved to the US, where he earned acclaim for his groundbreaking research in schizophrenia and cognitive brain function.

He held medical licenses in both India and the United Kingdom and authored more than 200 peer-reviewed journal articles and five books. Sharma also served on the editorial boards of 15 international journals and advised on over 20 clinical trials related to antipsychotic medications.

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Founder Of Sovereign Health Group

Sharma founded Sovereign Health Group, an addiction treatment and mental health services provider based in Southern California. The organisation gained attention for its integrative mental health programs before shutting down in 2018. According to US authorities, the company was involved in fraudulent practices, including enrolling patients in insurance plans without consent and billing for unauthorised treatments.

Details Of Fraud Allegations

The US Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California alleges that Sharma and Sovereign Health submitted over USD 149 million in false insurance claims between 2014 and 2020. The company reportedly generated USD 29 million through unnecessary urinalysis testing and paid USD 21 million (Rs 175 crore) in illegal kickbacks for patient referrals. Sharma now faces eight criminal charges, including four counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy, and three counts related to illegal remuneration for clinical referrals.

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The FBI began investigating Sovereign Health Group in 2017, leading to raids on its treatment centres, headquarters in San Clemente, and Sharma’s residence. The company shut down operations the following year. Co-defendant Paul Jin Sen Khor has pleaded not guilty, with his trial scheduled for July 29.

Sharma is the eldest son of the late Phani Sharma, a well-known theatre artist, actor, and owner of the Anuradha cinema in Guwahati. His younger brother, Chinmoy Sharma, currently runs the family-owned theatre.