Feds Nab Russian National In $400 Million Medicare Scheme

A Russian national appeared in a Houston, Texas, court Thursday for allegedly submitting over $400 million in fraudulent Medicare claims.

Nikolai Buzolin, 38, registered Verisola, Inc. in Houston as a fraudulent durable medical equipment company in July 2025, according to a Department of Justice press release. He allegedly opened six separate bank accounts at different financial institutions in the company’s name in just nine days between July and August 2025, opening another two accounts at two separate institutions in September and October 2025. Buzolin also submitted “false documentation” listing himself as the company’s sole owner, despite not being its sole owner to “disguise the true ownership and control of Verisola.”

Verisola submitted over $400 million in fraudulent claims between August 2025 and January 2026 to Medicare Advantage Organizations for durable medical equipment, “including orthotic braces and glucose monitors” which the press release states “were never actually provided to patients.” These organizations reimbursed Verisola “at least $1.7 million” for the fraudulent claims, which was deposited into the various bank accounts Buzolin opened. The press release said Buzolin “wired at least $1.2 million of fraud proceeds to overseas entities.”