California Attorney General Bonta announced the arrests of and filing of multiple felony charges against seven individuals for hospice fraud in Monterey County. Among the individuals arrested is the owner of Compassionate Touch Hospice and Spiritual Touch Hospice, two co-owners of Fountain Hospice, three doctors, and one nurse. The arrest and charges are the result of investigations by the California Department of Justice (DOJ) and the US Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (OIG). The defendants owned, operated, or worked for the three hospice companies simultaneously. They recruited, enrolled, and certified patients for hospice services who did not suffer from a terminal diagnosis. Some of these patients did not know hospice was intended for patients who were terminally ill, or that they were even enrolled in hospice. To avoid suspicion, the defendants transferred several patients between the three companies after six months and continued fraudulently billing for hospice services. The total loss to Medi-Cal and Medicare is $3,211,419.79.