New York Attorney General Letitia James and Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli announced the indictment and arrest of a New York City man accused of stealing more than $9 million from Medicaid through an alleged eye care billing scheme.
Maksim Grinberg, 53, and eight companies operating under the EyePic name were charged with 15 crimes, according to the attorney general's office. Prosecutors allege the businesses billed Medicaid-funded managed care organizations for eye surgeries that never happened.
Investigators said the alleged scheme involved using credentials from ophthalmologists who had previously been affiliated with the businesses to submit false claims. The claims allegedly stated that doctors performed surgeries to remove scars on patients' eyelid linings due to infection, while the businesses were operating as optical shops for fitting eyeglasses.
The attorney general's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and the state comptroller's office said the alleged false billing occurred from Jan. 1, 2024, through July 31, 2025. The claims were submitted to Fidelis Care New York, Healthfirst PHSP and Molina Healthcare of New York, according to officials.
Authorities said Grinberg allegedly used the money for jewelry, gambling, fine dining, fashion, travel, private school tuition, rent for a penthouse apartment, mortgage payments on a New Jersey mansion and luxury vehicles.
Grinberg was arraigned in Kings County Supreme Court. He and the businesses face charges including grand larceny, health care fraud, scheme to defraud and falsifying business records. If convicted on the top count, he faces up to 25 years in prison.
The charges are accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
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