Suburban residents face federal health care fraud charges

Federal prosecutors say five suburban residents are responsible for a scheme that bilked insurance companies out of $6.5 million for health care services that were never provided over 12 years.

Prosecutors describe personal trainer Inessa Katsnelson, 50, of Glenview, as the ringleader of the scheme, according to an indictment released Friday. She is facing an additional charge of identity theft, which carries a mandatory two-year prison sentence if convicted. Katsnelson, who went by several aliases, is facing health care fraud charges like the other four defendants, which is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

According to the indictment, Katsnelson was assisted by Maya Yakubovich, 52, of Arlington Heights, who worked as a medical claims biller and helped recruit friends and family to make false billing claims for medical services that were never provided.

Additionally, physical therapy center operator Yaroslava Boyko, 76, of Morton Grove; medical claims biller Tetyana Voronkina, 54, of Mundelein; and massage therapist Viktor Danchuk, 57, of Roselle, are all accused of helping bilk nine insurance companies.

The five are expected to be arraigned Thursday, according to prosecutors.