Basil M. Hantash is one of two co-owners of the Advanced Skin Institute in Turlock. The address is:

Advanced Skin Institute
3800 Geer Rd, #200
Turlock, CA 95382
Phone: (209) 668-3063

It appears Dr. Hantash, though, could be spending the rest of his life in prison for health care fraud if convicted of the charges in a May 2017 federal indictment.

According to the FBI and United States Department of Justice, a federal grand jury found against Basil Hantash in an eight-count criminal indictment. Dr. Hantash is charged with health care fraud.

According to federal court documents, Basil Hantash claims to be a dermatologist and the medical director of the Advanced Skin Institute in Northern California. For about six years Hantash made insurance reimbursement claims to private insurance companies for performing acne surgeries. In fact, however, the indictment states he only performed only cosmetic procedures known as chemical peels or microdermabrasions.

The indictment notes Hantash employed estheticians to perform work, but per California law they are prohibited from performing surgeries.

Dr. Hantash submitted claims for more than $1.2 million.

Government records state in 2014 Anthem Blue Cross audited the Advanced Skin Institute. In response Hantash allegedly submitted false documents claiming he did surgeries using surgical blades. In fact, he had not.

The indictment includes fraudulent billings submitted to Anthem and Blue Shield.

It appears the government has already seized about $690,000 from Vanguard Marketing Corporation accounts held by Basil Hantash.

Interestingly, at this time it appears criminal charges are only being pursued against Basil Hantash and not the Advanced Skin Institute and its other owner Dr. Neal Ammar.

The California Medical Board reports that Basil M. Hantash’s license is number A 84839, that he speaks Arabic, and he has had a malpractice award against him for $85,000.

Review the criminal indictment here (pdf file)