CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A Russian national made his initial court appearance in Houston today on a charge that he laundered more than $1.2 million tied to a health care fraud scheme targeting Medicare Advantage Organizations, which administer Medicare Part C.
Nikolai Buzolin, 38, formerly of Houston and originally of Tyumen, Russia, allegedly established Verisola, Inc. — a sham durable medical equipment company — in Houston in July 2025 and used it to submit more than $400 million in fraudulent claims to Medicare Advantage Organizations for items including orthotic braces and glucose monitors that were never actually provided to patients. Over the course of just nine days from July through August 2025, Buzolin allegedly opened 6 different bank accounts in the name of Verisola at 6 different financial institutions, adding 2 more accounts at separate institutions in September and October 2025. To disguise the true ownership and control of Verisola, he allegedly submitted false documentation to those financial institutions listing himself as the sole owner, member or president — when in fact he did not have beneficial ownership or control of the company.
Based on those fraudulent claims, the MAOs collectively reimbursed Verisola at least $1.7 million from August 2025 through January 2026, which was deposited into the various Verisola bank accounts Buzolin opened. Buzolin then allegedly moved those fraud proceeds between accounts for no legitimate business purpose, and he and his co-conspirators wired at least $1.2 million of those proceeds to overseas entities and bank accounts.
After Verisola wound down its fraudulent billing scheme, Buzolin traveled from Houston to Los Angeles, where he purchased a same-day airline ticket for a one-way flight to Moscow, Russia. The FBI arrested Buzolin before he boarded the flight, and he remains detained pending trial.
Buzolin is charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering by concealing and disguising the true nature, location, source and ownership of the fraud proceeds and by engaging in financial transactions greater than $10,000 knowing that they involved the proceeds of unlawful activity. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. HHS-OIG, the FBI, the Texas Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and the Texas Department of Insurance are investigating the case, which is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Andrew Tamayo and Emily Reeder-Ricchetti of the Criminal Division's Fraud Section.
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