Former civilian contractor at Nellis indicted in breast implant scam
A former civilian contractor at Nellis Air Force Base has been indicted and accused of running a breast implant scam that stole from military members by defrauding a government insurance policy meant to help breast cancer patients, according to the Nevada attorney general’s office.
Shanita Flax, 31, of Las Vegas has been indicted on 18 counts of theft and one count of attempted theft, Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto said Monday. Flax, a former civilian contractor at O’Callaghan Federal Medical Center on the base, is accused of intentionally misrepresenting the nature of breast augmentations and pocketing money from patients.
When breast augmentation procedures are necessary after an illness – most commonly breast cancer – or a work-related injury, the cost of the implants and the operations are covered by government-issued insurance given to military personnel and their dependents. But when the procedures are for cosmetic reasons, the surgeries and the implants must be paid for by the patients.
The indictment alleges that Flax filed patients’ cosmetic surgeries as operations for cancer patients, a loophole that let her keep patients’ money while using government-issued implants. Flax is accused of stealing $9,200 from patients and defrauding the Air Force out of $10,200 while working at the hospital from 2008 to 2010.
“That this scheme targeted military personnel and made use of government insurance for cancer patients makes this egregious crime even more sinister,” Masto said.
The Air Force Office of Special Investigations and the fraud unit of the Nevada attorney general’s office worked together on the investigation that led to the indictment. Those who may be victims in the case have been asked to contact the Nellis Office of Special Investigations at 652-3433.
Contact Ben Frederickson at bfrederickson@
reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5512.
