Staff Reports
Reports have surfaced that Pervez Siddiqui, listed as an official with APNA Adult Daycare, and seven co‑conspirators were arrested in Brooklyn in connection with an alleged $38 million Medicaid fraud tied to two social adult day‑care centers. The story has thrust questions about oversight, political ties and taxpayer waste back into the spotlight — and it deserves sharp answers, not warm press releases.
The Allegations: How the Scheme is Said to Have Worked
According to reporting, prosecutors say the alleged scheme ran for years and used the usual tricks: kickbacks to recruiters, fake sign‑in sheets, billing Medicaid for seniors who rarely showed up and laundering proceeds through shell companies. The two centers named in reports are APNA Adult Daycare and Ashiana Social Adult Daycare. The amount being reported is about $38 million in claims submitted for services that allegedly were not provided.
Public provider records do show a Pervez Siddiqui listed as an authorized official for APNA, which means the name is connected to the operation. Still, this is an allegation at this point. Reporting so far has not produced a federal press release from the Eastern District of New York or a readily available court docket that confirms the exact charging papers tied to the $38 million figure. That detail matters — a photo or a post does not equal a conviction.
Political Connections and the Need for Answers
The story has taken on a political angle because Siddiqui has been visible in local community circles, served on a community board and has been photographed with Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Reports also say APNA’s sister nonprofit recently received a six‑figure grant that had visible support from prominent Democrats. Voters should be allowed to know whether donations, access or public grants played any role in how these centers were able to operate unchecked.
Let’s be blunt: elected officials get photographed with a lot of people. That doesn’t prove corruption by itself. But when serious allegations of Medicaid fraud surface and a community‑connected operator is involved, the mayor’s office and federal prosecutors should clear the air fast. The public deserves transparency — not slow answers or partisan deflection.
Why This Matters to Taxpayers
Medicaid is a massive program and fraud steals from the most vulnerable while wasting taxpayer dollars. Recent federal enforcement has shown the same kinds of schemes can siphon tens of millions through adult day‑care networks. If the reports are true, this is not a small bookkeeping error — it’s a years‑long, system‑level failure that allowed people to bill the government for services that never happened.
What Comes Next
Federal prosecutors should promptly produce charging documents if an arrest has been made. Local authorities and the mayor’s office should answer simple questions about grants, vetting and meetings. Audit teams should get into these accounts and freeze suspect funds. And reporters should keep digging — pull donation records, check court dockets and get on‑the‑record statements from everyone involved. If wrongdoing occurred, pursue the full weight of justice. If the reports are wrong, the record should be cleared quickly so reputations aren’t ruined by rumor.
The pattern here is clear: when government grows, so do opportunities for fraud. Conservatives and independents alike should demand tighter controls, quicker audits and fewer chances for bad actors to exploit a system built to protect the elderly. The truth matters — and so does restoring the money and trust that were allegedly stolen.
