Brooklyn Adult Daycare Owner Sentenced to Prison for Leadership Role in $64M Medicaid Fraud Scheme

 

A Brooklyn woman was sentenced to 76 months in prison in connection with her leadership of a vast $64 million Medicaid fraud and illegal kickback scheme at her two social adult daycare centers and home health care company. The defendant was also ordered to pay over $56 million in restitution and to forfeit $5 million in fraud proceeds, including two properties, cash, and gold jewelry seized during a search of her home, as pictured below. 

Photograph of cash seized when a search warrant was executed on Zakia Khan’s home.

Photograph of cash seized when a search warrant was executed on Zakia Khan’s home.

Photograph of jewelry seized when a search warrant was executed on Zakia Khan’s home.

“The Fraud Division will relentlessly hold accountable individuals who exploit Medicaid and take advantage of services meant to support our seniors,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division. “This sentence should put all Medicaid fraudsters on notice — if you steal from Medicaid, we will uncover your conduct, protect the beneficiaries you harm, and ensure you are brought to justice.”

“This sentencing sends a strong message of deterrence in our District,” said U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. for the Eastern District of New York. “Our Office and the Justice Department are focused on protecting American taxpayers from fraudsters and as such, we will vigorously prosecute corrupt health care owners and operators in our district.”

“Social adult day care and home health services are designed to support seniors, not line the pockets of fraudsters,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Miranda L. Bennett of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “This sentence sends an important message that anyone who illicitly exploits the Medicaid program will be held accountable to the full extent of the law.”  

“Khan acted with staggering greed, leading a scheme to defraud Medicaid of millions of dollars intended for people in need. She and her co-conspirators set up social adult day cares but, instead of providing care and services to our most vulnerable neighbors, they enriched themselves with cash, gold and property,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Pete Gizas of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York. “This sentence sends a message: we will be relentless in our pursuit of justice against fraudsters. HSI is working side by side with our law enforcement partners to uncover and dismantle complex fraud networks like this one.”

“Zakia Khan stole $64 million from the Medicaid program through bribes and kickbacks—money meant to support the most vulnerable,” stated NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch. “This was not only deeply illegal but also immoral, and the NYPC will continue to investigate anyone who exploits government programs for personal gain. I thank our NYPD investigators and all our partners in law enforcement for their work in stopping this criminal and bringing this case to a close.”

According to court documents, Zakia Khan, 55, of Brooklyn, New York, owned two social adult daycare centers—Happy Family Social Adult Day Care Center Inc. (Happy Family) and Family Social Adult Day Care Center Inc. (Family Social). She also owned a home health care fiscal intermediary called Responsible Care Staffing Inc. and an entity she used to receive and disguise fraud proceeds called Tanwee Services Inc.

From approximately October 2017 through July 2024, in exchange for kickbacks and bribes, a web of marketers referred Medicaid recipients to Khan’s social adult daycare centers. As depicted in the pictures below, Khan and the marketers paid kickbacks and bribes to the Medicaid recipients to induce them to sign up for services that Khan then billed to Medicaid. These services were never actually provided as represented to Medicaid. 

Between 2017 and 2024, Happy Family and Family Social fraudulently billed Medicaid approximately $64 million. Medicaid paid approximately $56 million based on these false and fraudulent claims. Khan and her co-conspirators used multiple business entities to launder the fraud proceeds and generate the cash used to pay kickbacks and bribes to the marketers and the Medicaid recipients. 

Zakia Khan on an undercover recording paying illegal kickbacks inside her office at Happy Family.

Medicaid recipients receiving illegal cash kickbacks in exchange for filling out false attendance sheets for Zakia Khan’s social adult daycare centers.

Medicaid recipients receiving illegal cash kickbacks in exchange for filling out false attendance sheets for Zakia Khan’s social adult daycare centers.

In August 2025, Khan pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and conspiracy to defraud the United States and pay health care kickbacks. 

HHS-OIG, HSI New York, and NYPD investigated the case. 

Deputy Chief Patrick J. Campbell and Trial Attorney Leonid Sandlar of the National Fraud Enforcement Division’s Health Care Fraud Section prosecuted the case, with the assistance of Assistant U.S. Attorney Claire Kedeshian for the Eastern District of New York who assisted with forfeiture matters.

On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud Division). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.

The Department of Justice’s Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in federal districts across the country, has charged more than 6,200 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion since 2007. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.

Secretary Mullin Observes 25th Anniversary of 9/11 at Pentagon, Speaks at DHS Headquarters

 

To commemorate the 25th anniversary of the September 11th attacks, United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin joined President Donald J. Trump at the Pentagon, then delivered remarks at the DHS headquarters in Washington, D.C.

In the morning, Secretary Mullin joined President Trump, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and others in a memorial ceremony at the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia.

Later in the morning, Secretary Mullin returned to St. Elizabeths, the DHS headquarters in Washington, D.C., to deliver remarks at the dedication of Resilience Plaza. The Plaza features several artifacts from September 11th, including an upright trident beam from the World Trade Center in New York City and several pieces of limestone from the Pentagon. Secretary Mullin was joined by Deputy Secretary Troy Edgar, Under Secretary for Management Brian J. Cavanaugh, and other DHS personnel.

The presenting of the colors in front of the World Trade Center trident beam at Resilience Plaza.

Under Secretary for Management Brian J. Cavanaugh (left), Deputy Secretary Troy Edgar (center), and Secretary Mullin during the ceremony.

Deputy Secretary Edgar delivers remarks.

Secretary Mullin delivers remarks.

The crowd in attendance, with St. Elizabeths in the background.

“As Secretary of Homeland Security, I serve with true patriots. 270,000 of us at the Department of Homeland Security wake up every single morning defending our homeland, every day. From the Coast Guard to Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security Investigations, CISA, and Secret Service, and all the other components we have, our mission is to make sure that something like 9/11 never happens again,” said Secretary Mullin. “As a nation, we’re all Americans. Just like 25 years ago when they attacked the Pentagon, when they attacked the Twin Towers, and when all of our lives changed. Everybody’s life changed that day. We all came together. That fight isn’t done. And it never will be.”

DHS was created in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, launching on March 1, 2003 after the Homeland Security Act of 2002 was signed into law.

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Van Cortlandt Park Alliance - Your Friday Nights Just Got Better

 

Friday nights are for movies under the stars! 

Starlight Cinema returns to Van Cortlandt Park with four feel-good movies celebrating our favorite Four-Legged Friends. And, as always, it’s FREE!

Bring a blanket, grab some snacks, and settle in on the Parade Ground for a movie night the whole family can enjoy.

5:30 PM - Music inspired by the movie year, courtesy of local radio station WFUV

5:30 PM - Movie-themed crafts for kids (and kids at heart!)

7:00-ish - Movie begins at last light

Note that the movie will start closer to 7:30 pm this Friday to coincide with sunset. 

This fall's lineup:

September 18 - Best in Show (2000)

September 25 - Ratatouille (2007)

October 2 - Paddington 2 (2017)

Where: Van Cortlandt Park Parade Ground

So grab your crew, pack a picnic, and meet us in the park. We'll bring the movies, you bring the blanket and snacks!

Get the Details

See you under the stars!

Our Contact Information
Van Cortlandt Park Alliance
80 Van Cortlandt Park South, Ste. E1
Bronx, NY 10463
718-601-1460
http://vancortlandt.org

DEC ANNOUNCES 2026–27 EARLY BIG GAME HUNTING SEASONS IN SEPTEMBER

 

Department of Environmental Conservation

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) reminded big game hunters that early hunting seasons for deer and bear begin in September in New York State.  

“New York State’s early big game hunting seasons provide more opportunity for hunters to contribute to effective management in areas of the state where additional harvest of antlerless deer and bear are necessary to keep populations in balance,” Director of DEC’s Division of Fish and Wildlife Jacqueline Lendrum said. “Under DEC’s new big game hunting regulations, there has never been a greater opportunity for hunters to spend time afield in September.”  

An early bear season begins on September 12 and runs through September 27 in 11 Wildlife Management Units (WMUs) in the Southern Zone (WMUs, 3A, 3C, 3H, 3J, 3K, 3M, 3P, 3R, 4P, 4R, and 4W). Additionally, an early antlerless deer season begins on September 12 and runs through September 20 in 23 WMUs in the Southern Zone–including 10 new WMUs where the early antlerless deer season has been expanded (1C, 3M, 3P, 3R, 3S, 4J, 6P, 7F, 7J, 7H, 7R, 8A, 8C, 8F, 8G, 8H, 8J, 8N, 8R, 8S, 9A, 9F, and 9G). Bear hunting seasons begin on September 19 and run through December 6 in the Northern Zone.  

Only antlerless deer (those without antlers or having antlers less than three inches long) may be harvested during the early antlerless deer season, and hunters may only use Deer Management Permits (DMPs) or Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP) tags. All WMUs that have an early antlerless deer season offer unlimited DMPs, which allow hunters who report an antlerless deer harvest on a DMP to receive a Bonus DMP for the same WMU. Hunters are encouraged to apply for DMPs in these WMUs ahead of the early antlerless deer season. Hunters who harvest and report an antlerless deer will also receive a second antlered deer tag for the 2026–27 seasons through the new “Earn-a-2nd-Buck” program.  

In WMUs 3M, 3P, 3R, 6P, 7F, 7H, 7J, 7R, 8A, 8F, 8G, 8H, 8J, 8N, 8R, 8S, 9A, 9F, and 9G, hunters may use firearms, crossbows, or vertical bows during the early antlerless deer season, but only vertical bows or crossbows can be used in WMUs 1C, 3S, 4J, and 8C. Hunters may use firearms, crossbows, or vertical bows in all WMUs enrolled in the early bear season. The use of rifles is prohibited in Rockland County (most of WMU 3R) during any season.  

Hunters using firearms, including muzzleloaders, during any season, must wear a solid or patterned fluorescent orange or fluorescent pink hat, vest, or jacket while hunting. Legal hunting hours for deer and bear include the full period of ambient light from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset.

Hunter Education Program

To purchase a hunting or trapping license, a hunter, bowhunter, or trapper education certificate is required. For over 75 years, DEC’s Hunter Education Program has taught future hunters and trappers how to be safe, responsible, and ethical. Courses are available in-person or online. All in-person courses are free and taught by DEC-certified instructors. Demand for in-person courses is high in late summer and early fall, so it is important to sign up early. For more information and to find a course near you, visit DEC’s website.

Hunters can ensure that hunting remains a safety activity by following the cardinal safety rules: (1) treat every firearm as if it were loaded; (2) control the muzzle, keep it pointed in a safe direction; (3) identify your target and what lies beyond; and (4) Keep your finger off the trigger until ready to fire.

Hunters should refer to the 2026-27 Hunting and Trapping Guide and DEC’s Deer and Bear Hunting Seasons and Regulations webpages for more information about deer and bear hunting in New York State. 

The Dinowitz Dispatch - September 11 2026

 

New York City Council Member

ERIC DINOWITZ

Proudly serving the neighborhoods of Bedford Park, Kingsbridge, Riverdale, Norwood, Van Cortlandt Village, Spuyten Duyvil, Wakefield, and Woodlawn.

11th Council District, Bronx · 277 West 231st, Bronx, NY 10463 · Tel: (718) 549 - 7300

This Edition: Remembering 9/11, Shana Tovah, Back to School, and much more...

Dear Neighbor:

This is a meaningful, yet heavy week for our community. On Thursday, we welcomed our students back for the first day of school. On Friday, we mark 25 years since September 11. And as the sun sets Friday evening, we begin Rosh Hashana, the start of the Jewish New Year. Remembrance and renewal are arriving almost on top of each other this year, and I want to share with you how our office is engaging with each moment.

Welcome Back to School

Thursday was the first day of the 2026-2027 school year for New York City public school students, and I couldn't be more excited for everything ahead. As a former teacher myself, the first day of school has always held a special place in my heart. It's a day full of nerves, new backpacks, and the kind of hope that only comes with a fresh start. I recorded a message for every student starting school this week, welcoming them back and letting them know our office is behind them all year long. You can watch it on our social media channels.

PS 77 and PS 19 Backpack Giveaways

My office partnered with PS 77 and PS 19 for our latest round of backpack giveaways, helping make sure local students start the year with the supplies they need to succeed. These distributions are one of my favorite parts of this time of year, and seeing the excitement on students' faces as they picked out their new backpacks was a reminder of why this work matters. Thank you to the PTAs, school staff, and Kol Yisroel who helped make this happen, and to everyone who came out to celebrate the new school year with us.

Shana Tova

As Rosh Hashana began Friday evening, I want to wish all those observing a joyous and meaningful holiday. As Chair of the Jewish Caucus, this time of year holds particular significance for me, and I know how deeply it resonates across our district and our city's broader Jewish community. May this new year bring health, peace, and sweetness to you and your loved ones. Shana Tova, and have a sweet new year.

Stated Meeting Update

At the Stated Meeting on Thursday, September 10th, I introduced three new resolutions and we passed a number of bills. You can read an in-depth description of each bill here, and read the summaries below. 

Res 619 calls on the State to allow smaller public works projects to use design-build, helping the City complete projects like new park bathrooms faster and more cost-effectively.

The second, Res 620, calls on the Department of Education to offer the Seal of Civic Readiness in every school, giving more students access to civics coursework and project-based learning that prepares them to understand and participate in our democracy. This resolution will accompany a hearing I am chairing in October about Civic education in our schools.

The third, Res 621, calls on the State to require arts and music education in every New York school. Nearly 20% of NYC public schools lack an arts teacher. Arts education has its own inherent value, not just value in service of other academic subjects, and our students deserve meaningful arts education, not “art on a cart.”



Furthermore, the City Council passed a series of bills I co-sponsored. The first set of bills, sponsored by Council Member Oswald Feliz, requires chain restaurants to post clear warnings for menu items containing high amounts of sugar and sodium, respectively. This needed transparency will allow New Yorkers to make more informed decisions about their health. 

In addition, I co-sponsored, and the City Council passed, a bill introduced by Council Member Kamillah Hanks, which requires the Department of Records and Information Services (DORIS) to report on historical African American burial sites across New York City. This report would virtually map known sites and identify potential unmarked sites for preservation. These are necessary efforts to help preserve the resting sites and tell the stories of black New Yorkers, who have all too often been neglected by history books and City governments in the past. 

Moreover, I voted yes on several bills, including efforts to reduce neighborhood light pollution, respond more efficiently to dog waste epidemics, provide public notice of disruptive street work, and crack down on illegal cannabis sales in stores licensed to sell tobacco product. I also voted to pass resolutions celebrating the Feast of Saint Genarro and the Ferragosto Festival, as well as the impact of Italian immigrants on New York City, honoring the legacy of Alvin Ailey and Carmen de Lavallade, and and calling on Congress to pass the Performing Artist Tax Parity Act of 2025.

I voted to confirm the Mayoral appointments of Lisa Garcia and Dr. Dave A. Choksh to the New York City Land Bank and Board of Health, respectively. 

I abstained on the appointment of John Mangin as Chair of the Board of Standards and Appeals. While Mr. Mangin has demonstrated a willingness to engage with local Council Members, his past views on development do not align with my approach or what I hear from the community members I represent.

With the BSA now having greater authority over development due to recent charter revisions, I believe its leadership must recognize that our neighborhoods have different needs than denser, more transit-rich parts of the city. That means considering community priorities such as family-sized apartments, parking, green infrastructure, and neighborhood context.

I sincerely hope Mr. Mangin proves my concerns unfounded and leads the BSA with sensitivity to the distinct needs of communities across our city. 

I look forward to working with him to the benefit of our community, the Bronx, and our city.

You can read more about these pieces of legislation here.

Upcoming Events and Announcements

Sincerely,

Registered Sex Offender Charged With Sexual Exploitations Of Children And Receipt And Distribution Of Child Pornography

 

United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jamie McDonald, announced that DUSTIN TOMPKINS, a registered sex offender, was charged with sexual exploitation of children by persuading, and attempting to persuade, them to create and send him sexually explicit images, receipt and distribution of child pornography, and committing offenses against children while being a registered sex offender.  TOMPKINS, who is currently detained on charges that he violated the terms of his supervised release, was presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew E. Krause in White Plains federal court.

“The Southern District of New York will use every available tool to protect children,” said U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald.  “Dustin Tompkins represents every parent’s greatest fear: an adult who allegedly used social media to gain access to children and exploit them for his own sexual gratification.  As alleged, while on supervision for a prior conviction for receipt and distribution of child pornography, Tompkins used social media to communicate with minors and persuade them to create and send him sexually explicit images.  Tompkins is also alleged to have amassed additional child pornography via social media applications.  If you have information to report, please immediately contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or https://tips.fbi.gov.”

As alleged in the Complaint:(1)

On or about March 18, 2015, TOMPKINS pled guilty in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York to receiving and distributing child pornography, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252A(a)(2) and (b)(1), and was subsequently sentenced to 77 months in prison to be followed by a lifetime term of supervised release.

On or about January 30, 2026, officers from the U.S. Probation Office conducted a routine supervisory visit and discovered hidden in TOMPKINS’s bedroom an unsanctioned smartphone.  A subsequent court-authorized search of that smartphone found images comprising child pornography.  The search of the smartphone further revealed that, on or about January 24, 2026, TOMPKINS had created a messaging group using a social media application by which he received and viewed approximately 55 files containing child pornography. 

Finally, the smartphone search found that TOMPKINS, using a second social media application, had posed as an adult woman and exchanged messages with minors.  Specifically, on or about October 14, 2025, Tompkins directed a 13-year-old to engage in sexually explicit conduct, photograph the conduct, and transmit the photograph to him.  Then, on or about December 26, 2025, Tompkins directed, and attempted to direct, a 16‑year-old to engage in sexually explicit conduct, photograph and record the conduct, and transmit the photograph and video to him.   

There may be other victims.  If you have information to report, please contact the FBI at 1‑800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or https://tips.fbi.gov.

TOMPKINS, 38, of Mount Kisco, New York, is charged with two counts of sexual exploitation of a child, which each carry a minimum sentence of 25 years in prison and a maximum sentence of 50 years in prison.  TOMPKINS is also charged with one count of receipt and distribution of child pornography, which carries a minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison.  TOMPKINS is finally charged with one count of committing the offenses charged in Counts One and Two while being a registered sex offender, which requires a sentence of 10 years in prison to be served consecutively to any sentence imposed pursuant to Counts One and Two. 

The statutory minimum and maximum sentences are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.

Mr. McDonald thanked Homeland Security Investigations of the Department of Homeland Security and the United States Probation Office.