United States of America v. Elaine Antao and Manal Wasef

Brooklyn, New York criminal defense lawyers represented the Defendants charged with Conspiracy to Commit Health Care Fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1349 and 3551 et seq.

Elaine Antao, age, 46, and Manal Wasef, age 46, were marketers and recruiters for two social adult day cares: Happy Family Social Adult Day Care Center Inc. and Family Social Adult Day Care Center Inc., located in Brooklyn, as well as Responsible Care Staffing Inc., a home health care fiscal intermediary. Between approximately October 2017 and July 2024, Wasef and Antao referred Medicaid recipients to the social adult day cares and the home health company in exchange for illegal kickbacks and bribes. They also paid illegal kickbacks and bribes to Medicaid recipients for social adult day care services and home health care services that were billed to Medicaid but were not provided or that were induced by kickbacks and bribes. Wasef and Antao used multiple business entities to launder the fraud proceeds and generate the cash used to pay kickbacks and bribes. As part of their plea agreements, Wasef and Antao agreed to collectively forfeit approximately $1 million. Wasef and Antao are the sixth and seventh individuals to plead guilty in this case.

Trial Attorneys Patrick J. Campbell and Leonid Sandlar of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case with Assistant United States Attorney Michael Castiglione of the Eastern District of New York’s Asset Forfeiture Section who is handling forfeiture matters.

The Defendants elected to Plead Guilty to $68 Million Fraud Scheme at Brooklyn-Based Adult Day Cares and Home Health Care Company.