Last defendant in primary health network fraud scheme convicted by jury for wire fraud

Date: Feb. 20, 2026

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Pittsburgh, PA - After deliberating for two days, a federal jury on February 19, 2026, found John O'Brien of Masury, Ohio, guilty of three counts of wire fraud in connection to a scheme to defraud a non-profit medical organization, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

O'Brien was tried before United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

The evidence presented during the week-long trial established that O'Brien engaged in a scheme with others to defraud Primary Health Network, a non-profit medical organization headquartered in Sharon, Pennsylvania, through the submission of fraudulent invoices, including from the telecommunications company O'Brien controlled. The four other defendants in the case all previously pleaded guilty, including three leaders of the organization last fall.

Judge Ranjan indicated he would schedule O'Brien's sentencing by future Order. The law provides for a total sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 or of not more than twice the loss from the offense, or both on each count. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based on the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorneys Jeffrey R. Bengel and William B. Guappone prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of O'Brien and his co-defendants.

IRS-CI and the United States Secret Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan S. Rummage prosecuted the case.

IRS-CI is the law enforcement arm of the IRS, responsible for conducting financial crime investigations, including tax fraud, narcotics trafficking, money laundering, public corruption, healthcare fraud, identity theft and more. It is the only federal law enforcement agency with investigative jurisdiction over violations of the Internal Revenue Code. IRS-CI has 18 field offices located across the U.S. and maintains an international presence through attaché posts abroad.