A former laboratory owner accused of a massive Medicare genetic-testing scheme has been added to the FBI’s Most Wanted Fraudsters list, with federal authorities offering up to $150,000 for information leading to her arrest and conviction.
Emylee Thai, 41, is wanted in connection with health care fraud, kickback, GPS tampering, and records-destruction allegations, according to the FBI.
Federal authorities say Thai’s laboratory billed Medicare approximately $142 million for genetic testing and was paid approximately $95 million on those claims.
The FBI says the testing was not medically necessary and often was not used in a beneficiary’s medical treatment. Thai is now considered a flight risk after authorities said she removed a location monitor and fled the United States using a false identity.
The FBI Says The Scheme Used Genetic-Test Referrals
Thai was charged by indictment on July 11, 2022, with conspiracy to commit health care fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States and pay and receive health care kickbacks, and payment of kickbacks in connection with a federal health care program.
The indictment alleges that beginning around 2019, Thai contracted with marketers who referred signed doctors’ orders and Medicare beneficiary DNA samples to her laboratory in exchange for a percentage of reimbursements.
The FBI says Medicare often paid several thousand dollars per beneficiary for the genetic testing tied to the case.
Federal authorities allege the testing was not medically necessary and often was not used in patient treatment.
Federal Authorities Say Medicare Paid About $95M
The FBI says Thai’s laboratory billed Medicare about $142 million for genetic testing during the relevant period and received about $95 million on those claims.
A Justice Department indictment identifies Thai as the owner of ApolloMDx, LLC and Artemis DNA. A later Texas Attorney General summary said ApolloMDx was later renamed Artemis DNA TX, LLC.
Authorities allege the operation involved marketers, doctors’ orders, beneficiary DNA samples, Medicare reimbursements, and kickbacks.
A Texas Attorney General summary said ApolloMDx allegedly offered illegal kickbacks to buy recipient information from marketers and orders for genetic testing from doctors. The same summary said some paperwork allegedly included false diagnoses and altered dates of service to increase reimbursement.
The Fugitive Claim Began With A GPS Monitor
After Thai’s arrest, she was granted bail with pretrial conditions, including a location monitoring device, according to the FBI.
The FBI says Thai’s location monitor was removed on Dec. 8, 2022. The next day, a federal arrest warrant was issued in the Southern District of Texas after she was charged with tampering with a GPS device.
HHS-OIG lists Thai’s last known location as Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas. Federal authorities say an investigation later determined she fled the country by private airplane to Vietnam using a false identity.
Thai was separately charged in July 2023 with destruction and alteration of records in a federal investigation.
The FBI Says She May Be In Vietnam
The FBI lists Thai’s aliases as Kelsey Tan, Thu Anh Thai, and Kimberly Le-Thai. HHS-OIG also lists Vietnam as her possible whereabouts.
The FBI is offering a reward of up to $150,000 for information leading to Thai’s arrest and conviction. Anyone with information is asked to contact 1-800-CALL-FBI or submit a tip through the FBI’s official tip line.
The charges against Thai remain allegations. She is wanted by federal authorities, but the allegations still have to be proven in court.
For Medicare beneficiaries, the case is also a reminder to treat unsolicited genetic-testing offers carefully. A free-test pitch can still expose Medicare information if a test is ordered, billed, or submitted without a legitimate medical need.