A 38-year-old Russian national appeared in a Houston federal court Thursday to face charges that he laundered more than $1.2 million linked to a massive health care fraud scheme targeting Medicare Advantage Organizations.
Federal authorities allege that Nikolai Buzolin, originally from Tyumen, Russia, used a shell company to funnel money stolen from programs meant to provide medical equipment to the elderly.
According to court records, Buzolin set up Verisola, Inc. in Houston in July 2025, registering it as a durable medical equipment provider. Within just nine days of the company’s launch, he reportedly opened six different bank accounts at six separate banks, later adding two more accounts that fall.
The indictment claims Buzolin lied to these financial institutions, submitting false paperwork that named him as the sole owner and president to hide who was actually pulling the strings. Between August 2025 and January 2026, Verisola allegedly bombarded insurance providers with over $400 million in fraudulent claims for items like glucose monitors and orthotic braces that were never delivered to patients.
Those fraudulent bills resulted in at least $1.7 million in reimbursements being paid out to the accounts Buzolin controlled. Prosecutors say he then shuffled the cash between accounts for no legitimate business reason before wiring at least $1.2 million to various overseas entities and foreign bank accounts.
The scheme came to an abrupt halt when Buzolin reportedly left Houston for Los Angeles. There, he purchased a same-day, one-way ticket to Moscow. However, FBI agents intercepted him before he could board the flight. He has remained in custody ever since.
“The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program,” the Department of Justice noted in a statement. Since 2007, the program has charged over 6,200 defendants for billing more than $45 billion in fraudulent claims.
Buzolin now faces a charge of conspiracy to commit money laundering. If a jury finds him guilty, he could spend up to 20 years in federal prison. The case is currently being investigated by a joint task force including the FBI, HHS-OIG, and Texas state authorities.
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