Two Long Island men have been indicted on federal charges accusing them of orchestrating a years-long Medicaid fraud scheme that allegedly generated more than $35 million through fake medical transportation claims, illegal kickbacks, and money laundering.
Federal prosecutors said Saad Aziz, 52, of Shirley, and Zabed Chowdhury, 49, of Lake Ronkonkoma, also known as “Jared,” were charged with conspiracy to commit health care fraud, health care fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States and pay health care kickbacks, paying health care kickbacks, and money laundering conspiracy.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, the two men owned and operated Tri-Hamlet Taxi Inc. Prosecutors allege that between January 2019 and October 2025, they paid illegal kickbacks to Medicaid beneficiaries to persuade them to request medical transportation services through the company, primarily for methadone treatment.
Authorities allege the defendants frequently billed Medicaid for ambulette trips that never occurred. Prosecutors also say they instructed beneficiaries to request transportation to addiction treatment centers in New York City instead of closer facilities on Long Island and to use false pickup or drop-off locations so Medicaid would reimburse longer, more expensive trips.
According to prosecutors, the scheme included more than $18 million in claims for rides exceeding 75 miles and resulted in more than $35 million in fraudulent Medicaid billings overall.
Federal authorities also allege the defendants used proceeds from the scheme to fund their lifestyles and purchase multiple homes and investment properties with a combined value of about $6 million.
U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. alleged the defendants “turned a transportation program intended to provide vulnerable Medicaid beneficiaries with access to critical medical care into a vehicle for personal enrichment.”
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, IRS Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the New York State Comptroller’s Office, and the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office.
If convicted, Aziz and Chowdhury each face up to 20 years in federal prison. Prosecutors are also seeking restitution and forfeiture of at least $35 million, including multiple real properties and 15 bank accounts.
The defendants were previously charged by criminal complaint and are scheduled to be arraigned at a later date.
Photo: The images are still frames taken from undercover video recordings that prosecutors say captured the defendants allegedly making illegal cash kickback payments. According to the government’s bail memorandum, the photos show the defendants handing envelopes containing cash to an undercover officer posing as a Medicaid beneficiary. Investigators allege the payments were made to induce beneficiaries to use the defendants’ ambulette company for Medicaid-funded transportation services. / U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.
