Four Florida Men Charged With Defrauding TRICARE Of $42 Million In Alleged Compounding Conspiracy

A quartet of Florida men are facing Federal fraud charges after investigators say they orchestrated and operated an illegal kickback scheme for compounded drugs.

The four men, who range in age from 38 to 57, allegedly put together the operation, which consisted of several compounding pharmacies in Florida, to target TRICARE beneficiaries and their prescriptions. Investigators say the drug orders they filled were the result of millions of dollars in kickbacks to the doctors prescribing them, many of which were not medically necessary.

According to investigators, the conspiracy began in late 2012 and ran through the fall of 2015, with the defendants allegedly billing TRICARE for $54 million in clams, with the agency ultimately paying $42 million by the end of the alleged conspiracy.

All four of the men were charged last week in Federal court with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and to pay or receive health care kickbacks. Additionally, one defendant was charged with six counts of offering or paying health care kickbacks and one count of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, ketamine; while another was charged with four counts of soliciting or receiving health care kickbacks, the third charged with two counts of soliciting or receiving health care kickbacks and three counts of offering or paying health care kickbacks; and the last man also charged with three counts of soliciting or receiving health care kickbacks. No arraignment date has yet been set.

The Law Offices of Bjorn Brunvand have been representing people charged with capital murder, felony drug charges, drunk driving, government fraud, and white-collar crimes for over a quarter century. Conact our office today to discuss your Tampa Bay-area state or federal charges.