Nassau Doctor Charged with More Than $100K Social Security Benefits Fraud: DA

MINEOLA, NY — A Great Neck gastroenterologist was charged with grand larceny for allegedly collecting more than $100,000 in Social Security disability and early retirement benefits between September 2021 and May 2025 while he continued to work with patients and bill Medicare for more than $700,000 of patient care, prosecutors said.

Joseph Golyan, 64, was arraigned on Monday on charges of second-degree grand larceny and two counts of third-degree grand larceny, Nassau County D.A. Anne Donnelly said.

Golyan pleaded not guilty, was released to pre-trial services, and ordered to surrender his passport.

According to the charges, in March 2024, The Nassau County D.A.'s office received a complaint alleging that the Golyan was receiving Social Security Administration (SSA) disability benefits while continuing to work, Donnelly said.

An investigation by NCDA, SSA Office of the Inspector General (SSA-OIG), and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) determined that he applied for disability benefits from the Social Security Administration on November 22, 2023, after previously applying for disability benefits in June 2021 and early retirement benefits in December 2022, Donnelly said.

Golyan claimed that he was unable to work and indicated to SSA that he did not have a bank account. The SSA approved the claim, and he began receiving monthly benefits of between $2,920 and $3,101, prosecutors said.

According to the investigation, on August 11, 2022, the SSA contacted Golyan regarding a report that he had been working. He acknowledged in January 2022 that he was allegedly working as an independent contractor/consultant physician with a yearly income of $6,000 working two hours each day, the D.A.'s office said.

SSA reversed his entitlement benefits because of his failure to report his work activity and determined there was an overpayment of $42,862, proseuctors said.

In November 2023, he again applied for disability benefits, allegedly claiming that he could not work due to injuries he sustained in a car accident in April 2023. SSA approved the claim for disability. Golyan received more than $66,000 from this disability claim, Donnelly said.

The Medicare analysis revealed that Golyan received more than $700,000 in Medicare funds for services he rendered from 2021 through July 2024, prosecutors said.

“This defendant allegedly claimed to be disabled and retired to capitalize on more than $100,000 in benefits from the federal government when in reality, he maintained a lucrative medical practice,” said DA Donnelly. “As he collected benefits illegitimately, Golyan had the audacity to continue to bill Medicare for patient care he provided to the tune of more than $700,000 in a three-year period, according to the charges."

Golyan is represented by the Legal Aid Society.

He is due back in court on June 20. If convicted, Golyan faces up to three to 15 years in prison.