A California doctor who defrauded Medicare of more than $45 million to fund luxury travel, high-end vehicles and a remarkable $12,000 antique crossbow has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison.
Violetta Mailyan, 45, of Glendale, was convicted by a jury of orchestrating a massive scheme through her Healthy Way Medical Center clinic. Prosecutors said she submitted fraudulent claims for Botox injections that were medically unnecessary, cosmetic in nature or never administered.
The scheme extended far beyond false billing records. Mailyan claimed reimbursement for treatments allegedly provided while the clinic was closed—and while she was traveling thousands of miles from California.
Trial evidence showed that more than $19 million in claims covered Botox injections supposedly performed on days when the clinic was not operating.
Mailyan also filed claims while traveling in Mexico, Hawaii, Las Vegas, Pennsylvania and New York.
In one especially brazen instance, she billed Medicare more than $200,000 for treatments allegedly given to California patients while she was actually on vacation at a beach in Cabo.
Medicare covers Botox injections only when they are medically necessary to treat documented chronic migraines.
Prosecutors said Mailyan exploited the program by billing for thousands of procedures that were never performed, were cosmetic rather than medically necessary, or involved patients who did not have the required primary-care referrals for chronic migraine treatment.
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The proceeds also financed an extravagant collection of purchases.
Items bought with the fraudulent proceeds included a $12,000 17th-century crossbow and a $3,000 painting.
The jury further determined that Mailyan used the money to purchase two Tesla vehicles, including a Cybertruck, along with five California properties.
The sentencing judge condemned the operation as “truly breathtaking in scope and shocking in its duration,” describing Mailyan’s conduct as “almost unbelievable in their brazenness.”
The financial penalties were also significant. The court ordered the immediate forfeiture of more than $16 million in seized assets, including real estate, personal property, securities and funds held in bank accounts, effectively transferring the money to the United States.
Mailyan was additionally ordered to pay Medicare $32,904,049.41 in restitution. Federal officials said they would pursue the recovery of the stolen funds aggressively.
Her conviction came after a six-day jury trial that concluded in May 2026.
Jurors found her guilty on nine counts of wire fraud and three counts of obstructing a criminal investigation involving a health care offense.
