A former member of the Michigan Board of Pharmacy was indicted on several federal charges in the U.S. District Court for Eastern District of Michigan. The white collar crimes charges followed an investigation and a raid by police on one of the accused pharmacist’s two stores. Court documents indicate that the charges include insurance fraud.
Prosecutors allege the pharmacist defrauded Medicaid, Medicare and Blue Cross Blue Shield by submitting fraudulent claims valued at an amount exceeding $6 million. They claim the fraud started in 2011. Further allegations state that the defendant filled prescriptions in the names of dead clients of his business, and then filed claims for those prescriptions with the health insurance providers.
According to the indictment, the drugs he allegedly prescribed include Clozapine, which is an anti-psychotic drug, as well as a sedative called Alprazolam. Figures of the alleged fraud show claims for $4.1 million filed with Blue Cross, and approximately $2 million made up the claims against Medicaid and Medicare. Furthermore, fraudulent prescriptions and claims involved both the stores owned by the defendant.
The outcome of this case is not yet known, but others in Michigan who are accused of committing white collar crimes will likely retain the services of an experienced criminal defense attorney as soon as possible. A lawyer will know how to proceed to prevent the prosecution from proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. If this is successful, no conviction can take place. If not, the defense attorney will pursue the most favorable outcome for the client by considering all the defense strategies that are available.