Sophia Shaklian, a 38-year-old Larchmont resident and owner of a Pasadena hospice, is set to learn her fate Wednesday after admitting to a federal health-care fraud charge tied to what prosecutors say is one of the region’s largest Medicare scams. According to prosecutors, the scheme siphoned more than $23 million in Medicare money for hospice and diagnostic services that never actually happened.
Shaklian pleaded guilty in November 2025 to a single count of health-care fraud, a felony that carries a potential 10-year federal prison sentence, according to MyNewsLA. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 24 in federal court in downtown Los Angeles.
What prosecutors allege
Federal court filings say Shaklian handled billing for seven Medicare-enrolled providers across Los Angeles County, including Chateau d’Lumina Hospice and several diagnostic clinics. From March 2019 through August 2024, those businesses allegedly submitted more than $54 million in Medicare claims and ultimately pulled in over $23 million in reimbursements. Prosecutors say a portion of the money was routed through accounts linked to a synthetic identity, "Varsenic Babaian." Those details are laid out by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Co-defendant’s plea and alleged laundering
Her co-defendant, Burbank resident Alex Alexsanian, pleaded guilty in January to a money-laundering conspiracy and agreed to give up about $3 million as part of a plea deal, according to reporting. Court documents and coverage say Alexsanian urged a foreign national to open Saint Gorge Radiology and to buy Console Hospice in Van Nuys, then pushed Medicare reimbursements through sham accounts. Authorities say some of that cash was converted into more than $6 million worth of gold bars and coins, as reported by Radiology Business.
Investigators and enforcement
The Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and the FBI joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office on the investigation, which local coverage has described as a sprawling, cross-county billing scheme that federal agents are still sorting through. An October 2024 indictment charged 24 counts and accused the defendants of using sham companies and fabricated patient or service records to churn out bogus Medicare claims, according to CBS Los Angeles.
What to expect at sentencing
At sentencing, the judge is expected to weigh factors such as the calculated loss amount, Shaklian’s role in the conspiracy, and any forfeiture or restitution agreements. She faces a statutory maximum of 10 years in prison on the health-care fraud count she admitted to, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. The March 24 hearing will also give prosecutors a chance to spell out the full scope of the alleged fraud in open court, while the defense will have its opportunity to argue for leniency and present any mitigating details, MyNewsLA reports.
