One executive’s guilty plea just put a price tag on pandemic-era greed: at least $35 million cashed from more than $500 million in bogus COVID test claims, by his own admission.
Story Snapshot
- Fast Lab’s former chief operating officer, Hasan “Lucas” Seyhun, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud.
- Prosecutors say the scheme used “no cost” online COVID tests to harvest insurance data and bill for services not provided.
- The plea ties Seyhun to millions in fraudulent claims and at least $35 million in illicit payments.
- Case materials name the chief executive and medical director as alleged co-conspirators in a broader charge set.
Guilty plea pins down who did what and how much
The Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General reported that Hasan “Lucas” Seyhun, Fast Lab’s former chief operating officer, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud. He admitted his role in submitting more than $500 million in claims tied to COVID testing and acknowledged at least $35 million in illicit payments flowed from the scheme. The Department of Labor Office of Inspector General separately detailed his admissions and the same figures, underscoring the scale of the fraud and the personal stake he took in it.
$500 MILLION in fake COVID-19 test billing fraud has been uncovered and Hasan Seyhun, the Chief Operating Officer, will be held accountable for ripping off the American people.
“At a time when Americans were scared for their families and their futures, Hasan Seyhun saw an…
— National Fraud Enforcement Division (@DOJFraudDiv) September 24, 2026
Prosecutors describe a simple funnel. Fast Lab advertised “no cost” COVID tests ordered online. People entered their insurance information to get a quick answer. Behind the screen, the company used those details to bill health plans for services that were not done or not done as claimed. The categories included billed antigen-test observation, saliva collection, and polymerase chain reaction testing that did not match reality, according to charging materials summarized by the Justice Department.
Named roles and a defined playbook, not a mystery actor
Charging documents do not hide behind vague labels. They identify Seyhun as chief operating officer, Cemhan “Jimmy” Biricik as chief executive officer, and Dr. Martin Perlin as medical director. Government summaries say Seyhun admitted he conspired with Biricik and Perlin, and that he directed employees and third-party billers who pushed the claims nationwide. This focus on roles matters. It shows a chain of control, not a lone rogue coder or a billing “glitch.” It reads like a plan, not an accident.
The numbers also come in layers that tell a story. The government’s 2026 enforcement summaries describe approximately $566 million in alleged false claims across this matter. The plea materials speak to more than $500 million in submitted claims, at least $35 million in illicit payments tied to Seyhun’s conduct, and a $4,313,153 personal forfeiture figure attributed to him in coverage of the case. These are different measures—claims, paid amounts, and personal proceeds—and they point to impact across many payers.
Why this case hits a nerve for taxpayers and patients
Americans heard “no cost” and thought public health. Fraudsters heard “no cost” and thought open season. Prosecutors across multiple cases have mapped similar tactics: promise a free COVID test, gather personal and insurance data, then bill for services never rendered or not needed. This case sits inside that larger pattern that enforcement agencies have chased since 2020. It follows the same breadcrumb trail: easy sign-ups, fast billing, eye-popping totals, and strained trust.
Here is the civic bottom line. Every fake claim sends real dollars out the door. That money comes from workers and families who fund Medicare, Medicaid, military health programs, and private benefits through taxes and premiums. When fraud spikes, plans raise costs or cut choices. Conservative common sense says guard the purse, verify the service, and punish the lie. This plea advances all three: it confirms the crime, clarifies the method, and recovers proceeds—while warning others to think twice.
How to read the figures without getting fooled
Fraud math can confuse readers who skim headlines. Submitted claims are not the same as amounts paid, and both are different from what a single person pockets. The Justice Department’s case summary cites about $566 million as the indictment’s claimed losses universe. The Health and Human Services Inspector General places more than $500 million in submitted claims and at least $35 million in illicit payments in Seyhun’s admissions. Each figure answers a different question: the reach, the take, and the personal cut.
Neutral context: similar schemes show the playbook is real
Federal enforcement shows this was not a one-off. Other pandemic-era cases have charged lab owners and executives for billing for tests never performed, swapping in higher-cost panels, or using patient data from testing events to submit unrelated claims. The Department of Justice described nationwide actions targeting these maneuvers, confirming a known vector of fraud that this case fits cleanly, even as each defendant answers for their own conduct. One plea does not decide every linked case, but it proves this method works for crime—and for catching it.
Sources:
redstate.com, afslaw.com, newsbreak.com, justice.gov
