Nigerian CEO arrested in US over $7m graft

Cashmir Chinedu Luke, the CEO of a home care company called Four Corners Health based in the US, was arrested at San Francisco International Airport while attempting to board a flight home to Nigeria, according to that country’s Guardian newspaper. The arrest was carried out by US authorities in connection with an alleged $7m fraud involving the Department of Veterans Affairs. The US Department of Justice said Luke was charged with fraudulently obtaining payments for services purportedly rendered to veterans, including care provided weeks after some beneficiaries had passed away. The CEO operated Four Corners Health between December 2019 and July 2024. US Attorney Eric Grant said he was ‘charged in a criminal complaint alleging that he fraudulently obtained more than $7m in payments from the Department of Veterans Affairs for services that were never actually rendered.’ Court documents indicate that Luke submitted about 10 000 false claims, including duplicate billing, claims for care not provided, and claims for deceased veterans. He reportedly acted as the sole owner and billing representative for Four Corners, personally profiting from the scheme and transferring funds across bank accounts in Asia and Africa. Assistant US Attorney Calvin Lee is prosecuting the case, which is the result of an investigation by the Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General. If convicted, Luke faces a maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a fine of $250 000.