A federal grand jury has indicted Jessa Zayas, 34, a hospice nurse and CEO, on six counts of health care fraud and aggravated identity theft, alleging a scheme to defraud Medicare out of at least $2.5 million.
Zayas, who ran Healing Hands Hospice and Humane Love Hospice based in Van Nuys, is accused of targeting elderly residents in retirement homes across Fresno and Kern counties between June 2023 and May 2025.
According to federal prosecutors, Zayas and accomplices gained access to Medicare information by visiting these facilities after hours, when management was not present. They knocked on patients’ doors, soliciting personal information under false pretenses to enroll them in hospice care without their consent.
Prosecutors further allege that Zayas forged doctors’ certifications to falsely document terminal illnesses, allowing her to bill Medicare for over 100 patients who were not terminally ill.
During the investigation, FBI and U.S. Health and Human Services agents arrested Zayas and executed a search warrant at her home, where they found $77,000 in cash hidden in boxes beneath her bed.
If convicted, Zayas faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the health care fraud charges, plus an additional mandatory 2-year prison term for aggravated identity theft.
This case highlights ongoing federal efforts to crack down on fraudulent health care schemes targeting vulnerable populations and taxpayer-funded programs.
