American authorities have arrested Cashmir Chinedu Luke, the CEO of a U.S. home care company, for allegedly defrauding the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) of more than $7 million. He was taken into custody at San Francisco International Airport while attempting to board a flight to Nigeria, according to a statement from the U.S. Department of Justice.
The DOJ revealed that Luke, 66, of Antioch, ran Four Corners Health LLC, a Fresno-based home health agency that provided non-medical in-home care to elderly veterans under the Veterans Community Care Program. Court documents allege that between December 2019 and July 2024, Luke orchestrated a five-year scheme that involved submitting approximately 10,000 fraudulent claims for services never provided.
Prosecutors say the company billed for duplicated services, care allegedly rendered on days caretakers were absent, inflated hours of work, and even services claimed for veterans who had already died. These claims reportedly resulted in more than $7 million in improper reimbursements.
As the sole owner and billing representative, Luke is accused of deliberately misleading the VA’s third-party administrator during efforts to recover improperly paid funds, enabling the scheme to continue. Investigators say he personally benefited by spending the money on luxury expenses and transferring funds through multiple bank accounts across Asia and Africa.
The case is being investigated by the U.S. Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Calvin Lee leading the prosecution. If convicted, Luke faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. The DOJ emphasized that the charges remain allegations and that the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
