A suburban Chicago man, Shawn Bashir, has been indicted on charges of federal healthcare fraud. Bashir is accused of submitting more than $17.3 million in falsified claims through two entities purportedly offering early intervention services for children. As detailed in an indictment unsealed Friday, the 39-year-old man from Grayslake, Ill., allegedly operated under the names Success for Kids and Growing Kids Therapy from 2019 to 2025, claiming payment for nonexistent therapy services to a private insurer. The indictment, reported by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, states that this led to the insurer paying out at least $1.4 million.
The indictment outlines eight counts of healthcare fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft against Bashir. In a federal court arraignment in Chicago, he pleaded not guilty to the charges. A subsequent status hearing is to be held on Nov. 12, 2025. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago recently established the Healthcare Fraud Section, tasked to more efficiently tackle such fraudulent activities. Under the leadership of U.S. Attorney Andrew S. Boutros, the office has since April 2025 charged schemes amounting to nearly $2 billion in alleged healthcare fraud.
Bashir's case stands as the first indictment by the new Healthcare Fraud Section. According to U.S. Attorney Boutros, "The Chicago U.S. Attorney’s Office has charged nearly $2 billion in alleged healthcare fraud schemes since Mr. Boutros became U.S. Attorney in April 2025." The indictment was a joint announcement also involving Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, and other federal law enforcement officials.
The government's case is being represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Irene Hickey Sullivan. However, the public should remember that an indictment does not serve as proof of guilt. Bashir, like any defendant in the U.S. legal system, is presumed innocent. The onus is on the government to prove the defendant's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt throughout the course of the trial. The case proceedings are being closely observed by those within both the judicial and insurance sectors, spotlighting the ongoing efforts to combat the rampant issue of healthcare fraud.
