San Francisco — A Nigerian-born CEO of a Fresno-based home health care company was arrested at San Francisco International Airport while attempting to board a flight to Nigeria. The arrest comes after he was charged with defrauding the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) of more than $7 million, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
The defendant, Cashmir Chinedu Luke, believed to be 66 and from Antioch, California, operated Four Corners Health LLC, which provided unskilled in-home nursing and daily care to elderly VA beneficiaries under the Veterans Community Care Program. The company served veterans in Fresno, Tulare, Merced, Mariposa, Madera, San Francisco, and Contra Costa Counties.
Alleged Fraudulent Scheme
Court documents reveal that between December 2019 and July 2024, Luke engaged in a five-year scheme to submit false care claims that were never rendered. Key details of the alleged fraud include:
- Submitting approximately 10,000 false claims to the VA
- Billing for care provided weeks after the veterans had died
- Charging for hours not actually worked by caretakers
- Submitting duplicate claims for care already provided
- Billing for days caretakers were not present with veterans
Luke allegedly acted as the sole owner and billing representative for Four Corners, actively deceiving the VA’s third-party benefits administrator even when attempts were made to recover fraudulently paid funds.
Personal Profit and Money Transfers
According to investigators, Luke personally profited from the scheme as the sole owner of the bank account receiving reimbursement payments. He reportedly spent the funds lavishly on personal expenses and transferred large sums through a network of bank accounts across Asia and Africa.
The case is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Calvin Lee handling prosecution.
If convicted, Luke faces:
- A maximum of 10 years in federal prison
- A $250,000 fine
However, the actual sentence would be determined by the court, considering federal sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
Authorities emphasised that the charges are allegations, and Luke is presumed innocent until proven guilty** beyond a reasonable doubt.
