Date: June 24, 2026

Contact: [email protected]

Raleigh, NC - Today, United States Attorney Ellis Boyle announced criminal charges against Murad "Mike" Ayyad of Roswell, Georgia, in connection with a health care fraud conspiracy that involved the payment of millions of dollars in kickbacks and the creation and use of dozens of fraudulent contracts and invoices. Ayyad is alleged to have caused the submission of fraudulent claims for laboratory testing to Medicare, the Health Resources Services Administration ("HRSA"), TRICARE, and other payers through several labs and other entities that he owned and controlled. The federal charges are part of the Department of Justice's 2026 National Health Care Fraud Takedown.

"Our office is committed to rooting out fraud perpetrated on federal health care benefit programs, particularly when the fraud involves payment of illegal kickbacks, which corrupt medical judgment and require taxpayers to pay for medically unnecessary services," said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle.

The indictment alleges Ayyad solicited and received kickback payments from clinical laboratories, including two laboratories in which he had a de facto ownership interest, in exchange for generating referrals. To conceal the kickback payments, Ayyad caused the creation of dozens of sham invoices and contracts, at least one of which was provided to federal law enforcement officials as part of a kickback investigation into one of the laboratories Ayyad controlled. Ayyad also offered and paid kickbacks to independent contractor sales reps for generating referrals to the laboratories. Ayyad and the independent contractor sales rep targeted providers and their employees with marketing and solicitation efforts that included in-person meetings, meals, cash payments, and in-kind payments.

"Safeguarding the integrity of federal health care programs is central to our mission, and the results of this year's National Health Care Fraud Takedown reflect the strength of our collective commitment. The cases announced today demonstrate not only the scale, but the seriousness of the misconduct uncovered, ranging from patient harming schemes to multibillion dollar fraud operations," said Department of Health and Human Services Inspector General T. March Bell. "HHS-OIG will continue to pursue those who engage in such conduct and hold them accountable. I am grateful for the tireless work of our special agents and for the partnership we share with our federal, state, and local law enforcement colleagues as we work together to protect patients and preserve public funds."

"This indictment underscores the Defense Criminal Investigative Service's (DCIS) ongoing commitment to safeguarding TRICARE, the Department of War's primary health care program, and ensuring that medical providers and related businesses adhere to federal law," said Acting Special Agent in Charge Allison Russo of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General's DCIS Mid-Atlantic Field Office. "Fraudulent arrangements that compromise medical judgment or misuse federally funded healthcare programs undermine trust and accountability. DCIS will continue to pursue individuals and entities that engage in such conduct."

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.

Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement. Department Health & Human Services Office of the Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, investigated the case with assistance from the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation.

IRS-CI is the law enforcement arm of the IRS, responsible for conducting financial crime investigations, including tax fraud, narcotics trafficking, money laundering, public corruption, healthcare fraud, identity theft and more. It is the only federal law enforcement agency with investigative jurisdiction over violations of the Internal Revenue Code. IRS-CI has 18 field offices located across the U.S. and maintains an international presence through attaché posts abroad.