Awarded as '100 Most Influential Filipino,' Now Facing $906M Fraud Case

A Filipina nurse practitioner is accused of masterminding a massive healthcare fraud scheme that allegedly drained nearly $1 billion from U.S. government healthcare programs.

Federal prosecutors charged Marizel Yukee, a Las Vegas resident, with multiple crimes, alleging that she exploited elderly and terminally ill patients, including those in hospice care, by providing medically unnecessary wound treatments and billing Medicare and TRICARE for the costly procedures.

According to a federal indictment filed in Houston, Yukee and her alleged co-conspirators submitted more than $906 million in fraudulent claims between October 2023 and April 2026 and collected approximately $297 million in payments from government healthcare programs.

Prosecutors allege that Yukee operated four wound-care clinics in Texas, Nevada, California, and Hawaii and paid illegal kickbacks to healthcare providers in exchange for patient referrals.

Authorities also claim that patient records were falsified to justify treatments and that Yukee received millions of dollars in kickbacks from medical product distributors.

Investigators say the alleged fraud funded a lavish lifestyle. Court documents accuse Yukee of spending millions on luxury assets, including a Bulgari necklace, a luxury home in Hawaii, and a $4.6 million beach resort under construction in Santa Ana, Cagayan, Philippines.

The allegations stand in sharp contrast to Yukee's public image. Before the federal charges were filed, she was recognized by a self-described international award-giving organization as one of the "100 Most Influential Filipinos in the World" for her professional accomplishments and community involvement.

Federal prosecutors are seeking the forfeiture of homes, luxury vehicles, bank accounts, investment accounts, cash, and the Philippine beach resort allegedly tied to the scheme.

Yukee is charged with conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and wire fraud, healthcare fraud, conspiracy to pay and receive illegal kickbacks, and money laundering.

The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas has issued a warrant for Yukee's arrest.

Yukee is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.