The CEO of a Fresno-based home health care company, Cashmir Chinedu Luke, was arrested at San Francisco International Airport while attempting to board a flight to Nigeria. According to U.S. Attorney Eric Grant, Luke faces charges in a criminal complaint that accuses him of fraudulently obtaining more than $7 million from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for services that were never provided.
Court documents state that between December 2019 and July 2024, Luke operated Four Corners Health LLC, which offered unskilled in-home nursing and daily care for elderly VA beneficiaries through the Veterans Community Care Program. The company served several counties in California, including Fresno, Tulare, Merced, Mariposa, Madera, San Francisco, and Contra Costa.
Prosecutors allege that over five years, Luke submitted approximately 10,000 false claims for care supposedly given to veterans. These included duplicate claims for actual services rendered, claims for days when caretakers were not present with veterans, claims for hours beyond those actually worked by caretakers, and even claims for services provided to veterans who had already died. The VA’s third-party benefits administrator paid out about $7 million as a result.
Luke is accused of deceiving the VA’s administrator during efforts to recover some of the fraudulent payments. As the sole owner and billing representative of Four Corners Health LLC—and the only person with access to its bank account—Luke allegedly spent reimbursement payments on personal expenses or quickly transferred funds across bank accounts in Asia and Africa.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Calvin Lee is prosecuting the case.
If convicted on these charges, Luke could face up to 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. Sentencing would be determined by the court based on statutory factors and federal sentencing guidelines. Authorities emphasized: “The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.”
