Man pleads guilty in $227M COVID scheme, paid $11M for personal info on Medicare recipients
Jasmine Rodriguez
Jasmine Rodriguez
Bureau Chief · Syracuse, NY
Jasmine has over 15 years of journalism experience, starting her career at the Syracuse Post-Standard after graduating from Syracuse University. Her insightful leadership has guided reporting teams through several major local stories, earning her awards for investigative journalism. Jasmine is committed to highlighting underreported issues within the community while fostering a culture of transparency.
More from Jasmine →Bureau Chief · Monday, November 2, 2026 at 5:29 PM · 1 min read
An Indian national pleaded guilty on Oct. 30 as part of a $227 million COVID testing scheme that involved buying the personal information of Medicare beneficiaries. According to the FBI, Syed Murtuza Kablazada, 36, entered the plea on two counts of health care fraud in federal court in connection with the scheme.