Nine people are scheduled to be arraigned today on charges of participating in a $24 million phony billing scam for interpreting services across Southern California, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office announced.

All nine are charged in case BA441949 with conspiracy and insurance fraud. They were arrested last month and they are expected to be arraigned today in Department 30 of the Foltz Criminal Justice Center.

Deputy District Attorney Angela Brunson of the Healthcare Fraud Division is prosecuting the case.

Francisco Javier Gomez Jr. (dob 6/15/83) and his sister, Angela Rehmann (dob 6/23/77), ran a Sherman Oaks company that provided Spanish interpreters at various medical clinics.

Between 2007 and 2013, the defendants allegedly took part in a scheme to defraud dozens of insurance companies by creating and submitting invoices for services that were never provided.

The defendants are accused of billing for Spanish translation services for patients who did not need or use interpreters and at clinics staffed by doctors who spoke Spanish. In addition, the defendants billed for services purportedly provided by interpreters who never worked at the clinics.

Several defendants are accused of creating fake invoices for interpreting services allegedly provided by an employee who was in state prison when she was supposed to be at work.

In all, the defendants billed more than $80 million in invoices to insurance companies. About $24 million of those invoices were deemed fraudulent by investigators.

The other defendants are:

Melissa Navarro (dob 11/14/86) of Sylmar.

Gloria Sandoval (dob 8//18/73) of Lake Balboa.

Crystal Lynette Garcia (dob 10/29/93) of Lake Balboa.

Cynthia Gomez (dob 11/16/84) of Sherman Oaks.

Amber Anguiano (dob 5/22/86) of Saugus.

Jamilett Ortega (dob 8/14/81) of Lake Balboa.

Arnulfo Reyes III (dob 1/15/93) of Reseda.

Prosecutors are recommending bail be set at $400,000 for each defendant. If convicted as charged, they face possible maximum sentences ranging from 13 to 20 years in state prison.

The case remains under investigation by the California Department of Insurance.

Los Angeles County District Attorney / case BA441949 / January 15, 2016