A California man who allegedly turned a taxpayer-funded health program into his personal ATM is facing three decades behind bars after authorities say he bilked the system out of nearly $270 million.
Paul Richard Randall, 67, of Orange, was handed the maximum 30-year federal prison sentence and ordered to pay back more than $178 million after pleading guilty to wire fraud in April 2026, according to court documents.
Prosecutors say the scheme ran through Monte Vista Pharmacy for 11 months, from May 2022 to April 2023. During that time, the operation reportedly submitted $269,120,829 in false claims to Medi-Cal, which paid out roughly $178,746,556.
The alleged price gouging was jaw-dropping. One prescription for generic meloxicam 5 mg was reportedly billed at around $13,424 — even though a 30-day supply of the same 𝒹𝓇𝓊𝑔 typically costs between $5 and $25.
Court documents claim the medications were often medically unnecessary, frequently never given to patients, and obtained through illegal kickbacks. The operation allegedly relied on a network of payoffs, including patient marketers who received kickbacks for Medi-Cal beneficiary information.
Nurse practitioner Patricia Anderson, 59, of West Hills, was reportedly paid to sign pre-filled prescriptions without ever meeting patients or reviewing their medical records, according to the case.
Pharmacist and pharmacy owner Kyrollos Mekail, 38, of Moreno Valley, was also allegedly involved.
And here’s the twist: Randall was already out on release in another federal criminal tax case when he allegedly pulled off this massive fraud.
The government has since seized about $126.5 million in assets tied to the scheme, including $111 million in bank funds and securities, nine luxury vehicles worth roughly $1 million, nine luxury properties valued at around $13.5 million, and more than $1 million in sports memorabilia — including sneakers worn by Kobe Bryant.
First Assistant US Attorney Bill Essayli didn’t hold back, saying, “This defendant took advantage of California’s weak systems allowing him to submit $270 million in fraudulent claims to Medi-Cal in less than a year.”
He added, “While we are pleased with today’s sentence, California must do better to prevent criminals from looting taxpayer coffers before it happens, not scramble to recoup money after it’s been stolen.”
The punishment is among the harshest health care fraud sentences ever handed down in the Central District of California.
So what does it take for a state to finally lock the vault door before the next thief walks in?
