A federal jury in the United States has found an Indian-origin doctor, Neil K. Anand, 48, guilty of orchestrating a significant healthcare fraud conspiracy. Anand, based in Bensalem, Pennsylvania, was convicted for his role in schemes involving the distribution of medically unnecessary prescription medications and the unlawful dispensing of controlled substances.
The Department of Justice revealed that Anand conspired to submit fraudulent claims to several healthcare providers, including Medicare, plans managed by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), Independence Blue Cross (IBC), and Anthem. These false claims were for "Goody Bags," packages of prescription medications that patients allegedly did not require. These medications were dispensed through in-house pharmacies owned by Anand.
Evidence presented during the trial demonstrated that Anand and his co-conspirators mandated that patients accept these unwanted "Goody Bags" as a prerequisite for receiving prescriptions for controlled substances. This illicit practice resulted in Medicare, OPM, IBC, and Anthem paying out over $2.3 million.
Furthermore, Dr. Anand was convicted of conspiring to distribute oxycodone outside the bounds of legitimate medical practice and without any valid medical justification. As part of this scheme, unlicensed medical interns were instructed to write prescriptions for controlled substances using blank prescription forms that had been pre-signed by Anand. The investigation revealed that Anand prescribed a total of 20,850 oxycodone tablets to nine different patients through this illegal operation.
Adding to his criminal actions, Anand attempted to conceal the proceeds of his fraudulent activities after becoming aware of the investigation. He transferred approximately $1.2 million into an account held in his father's name, intended for the benefit of his minor daughter.
The jury ultimately convicted Anand on multiple counts, including conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, three counts of health care fraud, one count of money laundering, four counts of unlawful monetary transactions, and conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
Anand is scheduled to be sentenced on August 19th and faces a maximum statutory penalty of a staggering 130 years in prison. The final sentence will be determined by a Federal District Court Judge, who will consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other8 relevant statutory factors.
