FBI Investigates uBiome for Financial Misconduct

Federal agents searched the offices of the personal microbiome testing company in San Francisco on April 26 following allegations of improperly billing health insurers.

Written byChia-Yi Hou
| 1 min read
ubiome San Francisco startup biotech fbi investigation

Register for free to listen to this article
Listen with Speechify
0:00
1:00
Share

ABOVE: uBiome is headquartered in San Francisco
© ISTOCK.COM MUDDYMARI

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is looking into biotech startup uBiome for miscoding financial compensation to doctors prescribing their products and over-billing health insurance companies for its home testing kits for human gut and vaginal microbiomes, reports STAT.

Agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) showed up on April 26 at the startup’s headquarters in San Francisco, California, for “court-authorized law enforcement activity,” an FBI spokesperson writes in a statement to CNBC. Some employees of the company were told to stay home from work on Friday, a person familiar with the matter tells CNBC. A uBiome spokesperson tells The Wall Street Journal, “We are cooperating fully with federal authorities on this matter.”

In recent months, three people say to CNBCthat uBiome has repeatedly charged patients’ insurance plans twice for the same test. The health insurance company Anthem has flagged uBiome ...

Interested in reading more?

Become a Member of

The Scientist Logo
Receive full access to more than 35 years of archives, as well as TS Digest, digital editions of The Scientist, feature stories, and much more!
Already a member? Login Here
Illustration of a developing fetus surrounded by a clear fluid with a subtle yellow tinge, representing amniotic fluid.
January 2026, Issue 1

What Is the Amniotic Fluid Composed of?

The liquid world of fetal development provides a rich source of nutrition and protection tailored to meet the needs of the growing fetus.

View this Issue
Skip the Wait for Protein Stability Data with Aunty

Skip the Wait for Protein Stability Data with Aunty

Unchained Labs
Graphic of three DNA helices in various colors

An Automated DNA-to-Data Framework for Production-Scale Sequencing

illumina
Exploring Cellular Organization with Spatial Proteomics

Exploring Cellular Organization with Spatial Proteomics

Abstract illustration of spheres with multiple layers, representing endoderm, ectoderm, and mesoderm derived organoids

Organoid Origins and How to Grow Them

Thermo Fisher Logo

Products

Brandtech Logo

BRANDTECH Scientific Introduces the Transferpette® pro Micropipette: A New Twist on Comfort and Control

Biotium Logo

Biotium Launches GlycoLiner™ Cell Surface Glycoprotein Labeling Kits for Rapid and Selective Cell Surface Imaging

Colorful abstract spiral dot pattern on a black background

Thermo Scientific X and S Series General Purpose Centrifuges

Thermo Fisher Logo
Abstract background with red and blue laser lights

VANTAstar Flexible microplate reader with simplified workflows

BMG LABTECH