California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced on Thursday, October 22, 2026, that felony charges were filed against 103 individual providers in the In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program for allegedly defrauding Medi-Cal out of over $4.5 million, according to the California Department of Justice and MyNewsLA.

Source: California Attorney General's Office

Prosecutors allege the providers unlawfully billed Medi-Cal, claiming hours for care while the member was admitted to an acute care hospital or skilled nursing facility, also paid for by Medi-Cal, the Attorney General's office said. The announcement reflects a years-long coordinated effort by the California DOJ, in partnership with the Department of Health Care Services, using data analytics and claims review.

The 103 cases were filed throughout the state. The members lived in Butte, Contra Costa, Fresno, Kern, Lake, Los Angeles, Napa, Orange, Riverside, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Joaquin, Santa Clara, Solano, Sonoma and Tulare counties, according to the Attorney General's office — a list that includes several Central Valley counties with large Punjabi communities.

Protecting a lifeline, Bonta says

"By enabling parents to care for their adult children with disabilities and allowing elderly individuals to age in place, IHSS provides a vital lifeline for families across the state. We are here to protect that lifeline," Bonta said in the official statement. "While the alleged fraud represents a small fraction of California's $30 billion IHSS budget, any abuse of Medi-Cal jeopardizes funding for our most vulnerable residents." Yaani, $4.5 million is about Rs 40 crore, a small fraction of the $30 billion (about Rs 2.7 lakh crore) IHSS budget.

IHSS, funded through Medi-Cal, serves over 900,000 seniors and individuals with disabilities annually, allowing beneficiaries to remain in their homes rather than entering long-term nursing facilities, the office said, adding that the home-based model reduces public spending by approximately $100,000 per person annually compared to nursing facility care.

The charges are allegations only. The Attorney General's office noted that a criminal filing contains charges that are only allegations against a person, and every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty. NBC Los Angeles, via Europe Says, also reported the same 103-person state announcement alongside separate federal health-care fraud indictments announced the same day in Southern California.