Charges Filed Against Two in Alleged COVID-19 Test Fraud Scheme
Two individuals are facing serious allegations involving fraudulent billing for COVID-19 testing services that were never rendered. Cemhan “Jimmy” Biricik, 46, from Boca Raton, Florida, and Dr. Martin Perlin, 74, of Fairfield, Connecticut, have been charged with conspiracy to commit health care fraud, along with more than 50 counts of substantive health care fraud, according to a statement from U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon.
Details of the Fraudulent Scheme
Biricik, who served as the CEO of Fast Lab Technologies, LLC. in New York, and Dr. Perlin, the company’s medical director, were arrested on the morning of Thursday, July 31, 2025. Dr. Perlin was responsible for ordering most of the tests during the pandemic period.
Fast Lab operated a website that advertised “free” COVID-19 tests. Customers were prompted to provide their insurance information when ordering these tests. The company allegedly used this information to fraudulently bill Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE, and various private insurance companies for both antigen and PCR tests on multiple occasions for each individual.
False Claims About Testing
- The company claimed that rapid antigen tests were reviewed by medical professionals and that saliva samples were collected for analysis.
- However, most of these rapid tests were self-administered at home without medical oversight, and no saliva samples were ever gathered or returned to Fast Lab.
- Furthermore, the lab did not conduct any PCR tests, despite claims to the contrary.
Officials noted that Dr. Perlin had no direct treatment relationship with the patients for whom he was listed as the ordering physician. In fact, the lab submitted claims to insurance providers even before customers received their test kits.
Financial Impact
In total, Fast Lab billed over $500 million in claims, receiving more than $50 million in payments. This case has drawn the attention of multiple agencies, with the FBI Detroit Field Office, the U.S. Marshal for the Eastern District of Michigan, and Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel participating in the investigation.
