A Long Island ambulette company owner and manager are facing federal charges after prosecutors said Medicaid was billed for more than $35 million in medical rides that were fake, inflated, or tied to cash kickbacks.
The defendants are Saad Aziz, 52, of Shirley, and Zabed Chowdhury, also known as “Jared,” 49, of Lake Ronkonkoma, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York. Prosecutors said Aziz owned and operated Tri-Hamlet Taxi Inc., a Shirley-based ambulette company, and Chowdhury worked as its manager.
Ambulette services are non-emergency medical rides for people who need transportation to appointments. In this case, prosecutors said Tri-Hamlet billed Medicaid for trips that did not happen, rides induced by kickbacks, and longer routes created with false pickup or drop-off information.
Aziz and Chowdhury were charged with conspiracy to commit health care fraud, health care fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States and pay health care kickbacks, paying health care kickbacks, and money laundering conspiracy. The charges are allegations, and both defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Prosecutors Say Cash Envelopes Were Used To Steer Medicaid Rides
The scheme ran from about January 2019 through October 2025, prosecutors said. Tri-Hamlet mainly billed Medicaid for transportation to supposed methadone treatment appointments, but prosecutors said many of the rides were not provided.
A federal complaint says two undercover law enforcement officers posed as Medicaid beneficiaries during the investigation. From about May 2024 through October 2025, the undercover officers received envelopes containing hundreds of dollars in cash about weekly in exchange for requesting Medicaid-funded rides from Tri-Hamlet, according to the complaint.
The complaint says many of the cash payments were captured on video and audio. Prosecutors said the undercover officers were never transported by Tri-Hamlet, never received treatment at the addiction centers, and received more than $24,000 in kickback payments.
The indictment lists two specific cash payments to an undercover officer posing as a Medicaid beneficiary. Prosecutors said Chowdhury paid $520 on or about June 4, 2024, and Aziz paid $500 on or about July 8, 2024.
False Addresses Made Some Rides Look Longer, Prosecutors Said
Prosecutors said Aziz and Chowdhury also used false trip information to increase Medicaid reimbursements. Although addiction treatment centers were available on Long Island, the defendants directed beneficiaries to request treatment at New York City locations and list false home addresses as pickup points, according to federal filings.
The complaint says the false addresses made the rides look longer and more expensive. Tri-Hamlet submitted more than $18 million in claims for rides exceeding 75 miles, according to the Justice Department.
Investigators also described “ghost rides.” The complaint says law enforcement officers watched Tri-Hamlet drivers arrive for scheduled pickups where no passenger entered the vehicle. Prosecutors said people from Tri-Hamlet, including Aziz and Chowdhury, were also seen routinely handing envelopes to individuals.
The complaint flagged another billing pattern. Prosecutors said Tri-Hamlet billed about 299 claims totaling more than $13,000 where the beneficiary and driver had the same name.
Prosecutors Want $35M Back and Point to Homes and Bank Accounts
Federal prosecutors said the money was used to fund the defendants’ lifestyles and buy multiple investment properties and homes with a combined value of about $6 million.
If convicted, each defendant faces up to 20 years in prison. Prosecutors are seeking restitution and forfeiture of at least $35 million, including several real properties and 15 bank accounts.
A Cash Offer for a Medicaid Ride Is a Warning Sign
For Medicaid beneficiaries, the warning sign in this case is a transportation company, driver, broker, or another person offering cash or another benefit in exchange for choosing a specific ride provider.
A request to list a false pickup address, use a farther clinic without a medical reason, or confirm a ride that never happened can also point to a false billing scheme. Medicaid transportation is supposed to cover necessary rides to medical care, not fake trips or longer routes created to increase reimbursement.
New York residents can report suspected Medicaid fraud to the New York State Office of the Medicaid Inspector General. OMIG says reports can be made online or by calling its fraud hotline at 1-877-873-7283.