Arizona doctor sentenced for his role in a $36.5 million Medicaid fraud case

An Arizona doctor was sentenced Friday for orchestrating a scheme that defrauded the state’s Medicaid program of more than $36.5 million in a six-month period, officials announced.

Irfan Fazil entered a plea deal to serve 7.5 years in the Arizona Department of Corrections, which will be followed by seven years of probation, according to the Arizona Attorney General’s Office.

He was convicted of fraudulent schemes and artifices, illegal control of an enterprise, theft and illegal procurement of a dangerous drug on Sept. 4.

In addition to his time in prison, Fazil agreed to surrender his medical license and Drug Enforcement Administration registration and forfeit all his assets, including real estate, medical facilities, vehicles, multiple aircraft, jewelry, luxury handbags, U.S. currency, cryptocurrency and gold bars. He will also pay $36,542,901.45 in restitution to the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System.

“Dr. Fazil abused his position as a physician to steal more than $36 million from a taxpayer funded program that exists to provide health care to Arizona’s most vulnerable residents,” Attorney General Kris Mayes said in a news release. “He billed for thousands of X-rays and other medical treatments that could not possibly have been performed and treated AHCCCS as his personal bank account. My office will continue to aggressively prosecute fraud in government programs to protect tax dollars.”

Between July 1, 2025 and Dec. 31, 2025, Fazil billed tens of thousands of radiology services, including X-rays, ECGs, CT scans, medical treatments and ultrasounds, to AHCCCS through Bio Family Clinic, Yuma Mobile X-Ray and Yuma Kidney and Dialysis.

Over those six months, the businesses saw a 671% increase in paid claims from the $4.7 million they collected over the previous 2.5 years.

Investigators looked into the 27 patients of Fazil’s who had the highest billing volumes. They discovered that during the 6 months one patient’s account was billed for more than 1,700 X-rays, which prosecutors noted is not only physically impossible but harmful due to radiation exposure, as well as hundreds of other radiology services.

He was also found to have written his wife multiple prescriptions while she was out of the country before picking them up himself.

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