3 Accused Of Aiding Napa Doctor In Scheme Offering Fake COVID-19 Vaccine Cards, Treatments
NAPA (CBS SF) – Federal prosecutors have charged three people for allegedly aiding a Napa naturopathic doctor who was convicted in a scheme to sell fake COVID-19 vaccine cards and treatments.
According to the Department of Justice, 46-year-old Jason Costanza of El Campo, Texas, 40-year-old Jaimi Jensen of Santa Cruz and 41-year-old Ranna Shamiya of Ukiah were charged this week. Prosecutors said the three were associates of Dr. Juli Mazi, who pleaded guilty in connection with the scheme.
Costanza, who was Mazi's office manager, is facing conspiracy and false statement charges for allegedly providing fake COVID-19 vaccine cards to customers. Prosecutors said Costanza also conspired with Mazi to sell "homeoprophylaxis immunization" pellets that she claimed would provide "lifelong" protection against COVID-19.
Jensen, who owned a health and wellness center in Santa Cruz, is facing a charge of making false statements related to health care matters. Prosecutors said Jensen served as a distributor for Mazi, offering the pellets and providing fraudulent vaccine cards to at least 170 people.
Shamiya, a licensed advanced practice pharmacist, has also been charged for making false statements related to health care matters. According to prosecutors, Shamiya used her position as a Director of Pharmacy at a Northern California hospital to provide legitimate vaccine lot numbers to Mazi, who then used the numbers on the fraudulent vaccine cards.
Costanza, Jensen and Shamiya were among 21 people charged this week in a nationwide law enforcement action targeting COVID-19 health care fraud. Officials claimed the cases resulted in more than $149 million in COVID-19-related false billings to federal programs and theft from federal pandemic assistance programs.
"Today's enforcement action reinforces our commitment to using all available tools to hold accountable medical professionals, corporate executives, and others who have placed greed above care during an unprecedented public health emergency," Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the DOJ's Criminal Division said in a statement.
It was not immediately known when the three would appear in court on the charges.
Earlier this month, Mazi pleaded guilty to charges of wire fraud and making false statements related to health care matters. Along with offering fake COVID-19 vaccine cards and fake treatments, prosecutors said she also offered homeoprophylaxis immunization pellets in place of childhood vaccinations required for attendance at school, along with providing deceptive immunization cards which she knowingly would be submitted to schools.
"Mazi made profits by selling false immunization cards she knew would be used to mislead schools into believing students had been immunized from childhood illnesses as required by law," said Northern California U.S. Attorney Stephanie Hinds. "Mazi's fake health care records scheme endangered the health and well-being of students and the general public at a time when confidence in our public health system is of critical importance."
Prosecutors said Mazi faces up to 20 years in federal prison on the wire fraud charge and up to five years for the false statements charge. Each charge also carries a fine of up to $250,000 and three years of supervised release.
Mazi is scheduled to be sentenced on July 29.