California Lab Owner Pleads Guilty to Role in $359 Million Health Care Fraud

A health care worker places a test swab into solution for a Covid-19 test at a testing site in Hawthorne, Calif., on Jan. 18, 2022. Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images

LOS ANGELES—A Los Angeles County medical lab owner pleaded guilty Oct. 5 to her role in a $359 million fraud scheme that exploited the COVID-19 pandemic and resulted in false billings and theft from federal programs.

Lourdes Navarro, 64, of Glendale, entered her plea to a charge of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.