A “no-cost” COVID test button became the front door to a multimillion-dollar fraud — and the company’s chief operating officer just admitted it.
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 online “no cost” test offers to capture insurance data and submit massive claims.
- The government reports more than $500 million in claims and at least $35 million in illicit payments tied to the conduct.
- Charging materials describe false claims for observation, saliva collection, and PCR services not provided as represented.
The Guilty Plea That Anchors the Case
Federal officials announced that Hasan “Lucas” Seyhun, the former chief operating officer of Fast Lab, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud. He admitted his role in a nationwide scheme to submit fraudulent claims for COVID-19 testing services. The plea agreement links him to more than $500 million in claims and acknowledges at least $35 million in illicit payments flowing from the operation. Authorities say Seyhun conspired with chief executive officer Cemhan “Jimmy” Biricik and medical director Dr. Martin Perlin.
$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
The government’s account describes a direct playbook. Fast Lab advertised “no cost” COVID-19 tests on its website and invited people to enter their insurance details. Prosecutors say the company then used that information to submit claims across government and private programs. The claims included categories that, according to charging documents, were not performed or were not provided as represented. The categories included antigen test observation, saliva collection, and polymerase chain reaction testing.
How The Money Adds Up
Numbers in health care fraud can confuse even seasoned readers. Here, officials cite more than $500 million in claims tied to the scheme, approximately $566 million in alleged billing in enforcement summaries, at least $35 million in illicit payments, and a personal forfeiture by Seyhun of $4,313,153. The public releases do not offer a line-by-line reconciliation of those figures. They do distinguish between amounts billed, amounts paid, and what Seyhun personally gained.
These figures matter for sentencing, restitution, and deterrence. Claims reflect what was submitted to payers. Payments are the actual money out the door. Personal proceeds are the slice an individual kept. Conflating them hides who paid what and who benefitted. Clear totals allow taxpayers, insurers, and honest labs to see the real loss. They also let judges weigh punishment that fits the harm while signaling there is a cost for cheating public and private plans.
Defined Roles, Concrete Methods
The plea and charging materials outline more than a faceless company. They place Seyhun as chief operating officer, Biricik as chief executive officer, and Dr. Perlin as medical director. That structure helps explain how a website funnel could turn into a billing engine. According to prosecutors, Seyhun directed employees and outside billing agents to push claims that did not match services. That mix of leadership roles, online intake, and outsourced billing is familiar in recent health care cases.
This case also fits a national wave of COVID-era fraud prosecutions. The United States Department of Justice described wide schemes where labs billed for tests never performed, tacked on panels patients did not ask for, or reused personal data from “free” testing to file unrelated claims. In a 2026 sweep, federal prosecutors highlighted hundreds of defendants and billions in intended losses, with COVID testing often the hook that drew in victims and payer dollars.
Why This Hits Home For Patients and Payers
Most people who clicked “no cost” during the pandemic only wanted to keep family safe. They did not sign up to bankroll fake observation or saliva collection codes. When a lab exploits a crisis, the bill does not vanish. It flows to premiums, taxes, and strained benefits. Common sense says government should chase every stolen dollar and publish clean, payer-by-payer loss numbers. That clarity backs tough sentences, helps claw back funds, and warns copycats that the easy money days are over.
Prosecutors say the Fast Lab funnel was simple and scalable: free test ads, captured insurance details, outsized claims. That kind of model thrives when oversight is slow and billing codes are loose. The fix is not to smother care with red tape. The fix is targeted controls that block known abuse patterns in real time, paired with fast audits and public reporting. When rules are clear and swift, honest providers can work, and scammers get boxed out.
What Comes Next
Seyhun’s plea locks in his guilt and sets up forfeiture and sentencing. Separate proceedings for other named figures and any corporate penalties will move on their own timelines. The court will review how much was billed, how much was paid, and who lost what. Expect restitution orders to map losses to specific payers where possible. The bigger signal is already out: online funnels that sell “free” while mining insurance are on watch, and coordinated teams now know where to look.
Sources:
redstate.com, afslaw.com, justice.gov
