Federal prosecutors indicted the owner of a suburban Chicago counseling center and five co-defendants on health care fraud charges for allegedly submitting $19 million in fraudulent claims to Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, justice.gov reported. The indictment, returned in the Northern District of Illinois, targets a scheme that ran from 2010 to 2025 involving psychotherapy services that authorities state were never provided.
All Types Counseling Services Operated Fraudulent Billing Scheme
Brenda Copeland, 64, of Country Club Hills, Illinois, operated All Types Counseling Services with offices in the southwest suburbs of Chicago. The center purportedly offered counseling for conditions such as depression and addiction. Federal authorities state that Copeland schemed with office manager Samuel Carlson, 69, also of Country Club Hills, along with four purported patients to submit false claims to Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBS).
According to the indictment, the purported patients provided their health insurance information to Copeland and Carlson. The operators used this data to submit claims for nonexistent psychotherapy sessions. In exchange, Copeland and Carlson allegedly paid the purported patients a portion of the insurer payouts received by All Types Counseling Services. The indictment states these participants also recruited others to pose as patients for similar financial kickbacks.
Federal Indictment Charges Six Individuals With Fraud and Conspiracy
The government’s investigation resulted in the submission of $19 million in fraudulent claims to BCBS, which yielded more than $4.8 million in payouts to the counseling center. A federal grand jury indicted six individuals on charges of health care fraud and conspiracy to commit health care fraud:
- Brenda Copeland, 64, of Country Club Hills, Ill.
- Samuel Carlson, 69, of Country Club Hills, Ill.
- Herbert “Randy” Foster, 59, of Flossmoor, Ill.
- Joseph Iraci, 51, of New Lenox, Ill.
- Anthony Gessert, 42, of Oak Lawn, Ill.
- Henry Saldarriaga-Ochoa, 37, of Berwyn, Ill.
The case was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Ryan Whalen, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI; Anthony P. D’Esposito, Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Labor; and Kelli Hammerl, Regional Director of the Chicago Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristin Pinkston represents the government in the prosecution.
Defendants Face up to Ten Years in Prison
Federal authorities emphasize that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. All six defendants remain presumed innocent and are entitled to a fair trial where the government holds the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Health care fraud and conspiracy to commit health care fraud each carry a maximum penalty of up to ten years in federal prison upon conviction. Under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, the presiding court must impose reasonable sentences if the defendants are found guilty.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Indictment
Which insurance provider received the fraudulent claims?
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois was the private insurer targeted in the scheme, according to federal prosecutors.
What specific roles did the co-defendants play beyond the center’s operators?
The indictment names four purported patients—Herbert “Randy” Foster, Joseph Iraci, Anthony Gessert, and Henry Saldarriaga-Ochoa—who allegedly supplied their insurance information, received portions of the insurer payouts, and recruited additional individuals to falsely pose as patients.
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