Cashmir Chinedu Luke, CEO of a U.S.-based home care company, has been arrested at San Francisco International Airport for allegedly defrauding the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) of more than $7 million.

According to a statement from the U.S. Department of Justice, Mr. Luke was taken into custody on Wednesday as he attempted to board a flight to Nigeria.

The DOJ revealed that Luke, believed to be 66, is accused of orchestrating a five-year scheme while operating Four Corners Health LLC, a Fresno-based home health company that provides in-home nursing and daily care services for elderly veterans under the Veterans Community Care Program.

Investigators allege that between December 2019 and July 2024, Luke submitted roughly 10,000 fraudulent claims for services that were never rendered. These allegedly included billing for days caregivers were absent, inflating hours worked, submitting duplicate claims, and claiming care for veterans who had already died. The fraudulent reimbursements reportedly totaled $7 million across several California counties, including Fresno, Tulare, Merced, Mariposa, Madera, San Francisco, and Contra Costa.

Prosecutors say Luke, as the sole owner and billing representative, actively misled the VA’s third-party benefits administrator, allowing the fraudulent scheme to continue. He is also accused of quickly spending or transferring the reimbursements across bank accounts in Asia and Africa for personal benefit.

The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Calvin Lee leading the prosecution. If convicted, Luke faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The DOJ emphasized that the charges remain allegations and that the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.