Orange County-based Sovereign Health was once one of the nation's largest rehabilitation and behavioral health companies. However, the business was shut down in 2018 after an FBI investigation and multiple lawsuits.
Currently, Sovereign CEO Tonmoy Sharma's multi-million dollar home is being operated as a licensed residential treatment facility.
Dana Shores Recovery in San Juan Capistrano promises “professional and private addiction and mental health recovery” on its website. However, there are no notes indicating that the owner of the house is Tonmoy Sharma, who had his medical license revoked in the UK in 2008 and has since set up shop in California as Sovereign Health, running a series of treatment facilities. Nowhere.
“We serve 15,000 patients and not everyone is happy,” said Tonmoy Sharma.
he told the I-Team in 2017.
But the business was shut down about a year after the FBI raided Sovereign's treatment facilities, its San Clemente headquarters, and Tonmoy Sharma's home in San Juan Capistrano.
It was really scary…(FBI raids) are something you see on TV. I never thought something like this would happen in my neighborhood.
Tommoy Sharma's neighbor
“It was really scary,” Sharma's neighbor told the I-Team. “It's something you see on TV. I never thought it would happen in my neighborhood.”
Another neighbor said he came home and saw an FBI investigation underway.
“I asked them if they should be worried,” she said. “They couldn't give me any information.”
These neighbors have asked us to hide our identities. Last month, they discovered Sharma's home was operating 24/7 as a detox and mental health facility.
“I was shocked,” one neighbor said. “I knew who Sharma was, I knew his background, and that was his primary residence.”
Another neighbor said: “This has all happened in the last few weeks and it looks like there's a serious business going on in a residential area.” “I think everyone in the neighborhood is really worried.”
An LLC owns Dana Shores Recovery, according to records filed with the Secretary of State. The CEO is listed as Charles Hohman. And in fact, I was the one who answered the door when the team knocked on the door to hear more about the business. Homan did not want to speak on camera, but during a long conversation lasting nearly 10 minutes, he repeatedly stated that he had no idea who Tonmoy Sharma was.
Homan pays Galahad Asset Management and Trust $10,000 a month in rent, according to Department of Health Services (DHCS) documents obtained by the I-Team. There is no mention of Tonmoy Sharma, but Galahad Asset Management is his LLC that is managed by his Sharma.
Knowing everything California knows about Tonmoy Sharma and his career with Sovereign Health, why should he continue to profit from businesses related to addiction treatment and mental health? Is it allowed?
Laurie Gillan, Responsible Care Advocate
As for Charles Homan, the I-Team has been involved in an ongoing lawsuit with the city of Montclair since 2018 over his business called Green Lotus Entertainment, where Homan operated an illegal marijuana dispensary in the city called Secret Garden. I knew that I was involved. Montclair city ordinance prohibits such dispensaries, but Green Lotus is challenging this with a lawsuit.
Homan's new state-licensed business, Dana Shores Recovery, promises to treat conditions such as “marijuana addiction” and touts a “diverse team of therapists, counselors and medical staff.” However, the site does not list any experts' names. all.
A search for Dana Shores Recovery in the public DHCS database only shows it is licensed and certified to treat six residents. The I-Team found no violations by Dana Shores. However, some people are concerned about its location.
“The state of California knows all about Tonmoy Sharma and his history with Sovereign Health, so how can he continue to profit from his addiction treatment and mental health businesses? ?” asked Laurie Gilland.
Gilland helped found Responsible Care after government-run medical facilities began causing problems in her neighborhood.
“In 2016, we received 19 calls in nine months,” Gilland recalls. “There were people running away from their homes many times.”
Congresswoman Laurie Davis recently introduced a bill calling for more transparency regarding these facilities.
“We require treatment centers that have been convicted of a violation by the state to post that fact on their website,” Davis said.
But she recognizes the challenges of reigning in the industry. Ultimately, she says, people seeking treatment should be able to get more answers from the state about who is running these facilities.
“Are they professionals? Are they trained? What are their backgrounds? And they're not doing that right now,” Davis said.
“There are virtually no standards for who can open and operate a recovery center or mental health clinic in California,” Gilland said. “Basically, there's no fingerprinting or criminal background checks. There's nothing to protect vulnerable individuals from being preyed upon.”
Rose Nelson and Allen Nelson's son Brandon committed suicide six years ago this month at one of Sharma's Sovereign Health facilities.
“You're dealing with people's lives, and these are vulnerable people who can't survive,” Rose Nelson said.
They say they believe in the Sovereign's promise of quality mental health services.
“That's how it was advertised. It was all a lie,” Nelson said.
The Nelsons recently settled with Sharma and the Sovereign Health insurance company for $11 million. The Nelson family tries to raise awareness about the potential dangers within the industry, but is disgusted to learn that Sharma's home is being operated as a treatment center.
Insurer HealthNet recently won a $45 million judgment for fraud and racketeering against Sharma and the now-defunct Sovereign Health, which is under appeal. Efforts by the I-Team to speak to Sharma were unsuccessful.
