A man accused of participating in “one of the largest Medicare fraud schemes in history” was arrested and transferred to Miami, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) reported.
Ibrahim Khaldoon Hilmi, who, according to the FBI, was wanted for his alleged involvement in a scheme to defraud Medicare of $3.7 billion.
Federal authorities said Hilmi fled the United States in May 2025 but was recently arrested in Turkey and subsequently transferred to South Florida.
““Ibrahim Khaldoon Hilmi is charged with one of the biggest Medicare scams in history – allegedly orchestrating a massive $3.7 BILLION scheme to defraud Medicare,” FBI Director Kash Patel wrote on X. “He’s been on the run since May of 2025 – but we got him.”Patel called it “another massive win” for the FBI and the Trump administration, while thanking the Turkish authorities, Ambassador Tom Barrack, and the U.S. Department of Justice for their cooperation.
Key Details of the Case:
- The Scheme: Federal prosecutors allege Hilmi billed Medicare approximately $3.7 billion for durable medical equipment—such as braces and supports—that were never requested by patients nor actually provided.
- The Arrest: After fleeing the United States, Hilmi was tracked to Turkey. Following his detention by Turkish authorities, he was extradited to South Florida to face charges including healthcare fraud, wire fraud conspiracy, and money laundering conspiracy.
- Broader Takedown: The arrest coincided with a massive US Department of Justice crackdown that charged 455 people across 45 states in connection with over $6.5 billion in healthcare fraud scheme
Who Is Ibrahim Khaldoon Hilmi?
Hilmi is an American businessman who is based in Delray Beach, Florida.
He ran companies which appeared, on paper, to be legitimate healthcare suppliers.
One of these companies was Sunshine Senior Solutions, according to the Florida Department of State, which billed Medicare for medical equipment for elderly patients.
In reality, prosecutors say, it was a front designed to drain taxpayer money.
What is Hilmi accused of?
Hilmi is accused of carrying out fraud to steal $3.7bn of federal money.
His network made purchases through several legitimate US companies, including Sunshine Senior Solutions, and used them as fronts to submit fraudulent claims to Medicare for durable medical equipment, including knee braces, wrist supports, wound cushions, catheters and other items. However, many of the patients listed on the orders either never requested the supplies, never received them – or didn’t exist at all.
For years, the scale of the scheme masked its exposure. By running claims through dozens of legitimate-looking companies, Hilmi’s network avoided displaying many of the red flags that typically trigger Medicare audits. The use of real business names, real medical equipment categories, and real-sounding patient records gave the billing a veneer of legitimacy.
When federal investigators finally began closing in, Hilmi had one more card to play: He fled.
In May 2025, he left the US before authorities could arrest him, according to the FBI, disappearing abroad and remaining beyond the reach of US law enforcement.
How was he arrested?
Hilmi evaded capture for just over a year. In the end, Turkish authorities tracked him down and arrested him in Turkiye, after which the FBI’s Critical Incident Response Group carried out a Foreign Transfer of Custody (FTOC) operation – a formal process for transferring a suspect from a foreign country back to US jurisdiction, according to the FBI.
He arrived back in the US on board a private plane and was photographed in light blue detention clothing, with his hands shackled while flanked by FBI agents.
Patel announced the capture on his official X account, crediting FBI Miami, the Department of Justice, Turkish authorities and US Ambassador to Turkiye Tom Barrack, whose diplomatic work, Patel said, was essential to pulling off the capture of Hilmi.
His arrest came less than a week after the FBI also returned Herbert Kimble, another fugitive accused of a $1.3bn Medicare fraud scheme. Together, the two cases represent roughly $5bn in alleged theft from American taxpayers.
What happens next?
Hilmi will appear in federal court to face charges of Medicare fraud. It is unclear whether the US can claw back any of the missing money.
People found guilty of Medicare fraud in the US face penalties ranging from fines and civil penalties to multiyear prison sentences.
Prosecutors are expected to release more details in the next few days.
The case forms part of Operation Gold Rush, a coordinated federal crackdown targeting transnational organised crime networks which have systematically exploited the Medicare programme. The operation has resulted in hundreds of defendants facing criminal charges across the country.
Patel said, “Any criminal actor who steals from the American taxpayer will be caught, no matter where they try to hide.”
However, more than 70 people convicted of fraud have been granted clemency during Trump’s two terms as US president, including Philip Esformes, whose $1.3bn Medicare fraud was, until now, considered the largest individual healthcare fraud case in US history. Trump commuted his sentence in 2020.
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