In a troubling development for Nevada's healthcare system, the former CEO of Silver State Health Services, David Ryan Linden, faced his first court date, accused of pilfering more than $2 million in federal grants meant for Las Vegas' needy, per the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The superseding indictment, dated May 13, details a conspiracy where Linden and co-defendant Rich Kiran Saga, a real estate investor linked to SSHS, reportedly siphoned SSHS funds including those designated for employee pay into their own pockets, then channeling this cash into commercial real estate ventures, the scheme allegedly ran from June 2019 through April 2022 and their actions if proven, not only betray their positions of trust but also cut deep at the lifeline for the underserved populations they were entrusted to serve.
A federally qualified health center, Silver State Health Services was reliant on federal funding from the Health Resources and Services Administration—part of the Department of Health and Human Services—to offer critical support to the indigent, the indictment paints a picture of betrayal, alleging the diverted monies as a theft from the community itself.
Saga was swiftly arrested on May 14 and faced the court the next day, the pair now stand charged with multiple counts including federal program theft and money laundering, and if convicted, could see upwards of 121 months behind bars—the jury trial is slated for December 2 before Judge Jennifer Dorsey.
This case emerges from a joint effort by the FBI and the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven Myhre and Justin Washburne leading the prosecution.
