The Nassau County Police Department’s (NCPD) Asset Forfeiture Unit is reporting details of “Operation RX Hammer,” an investigation focused on an alleged widespread healthcare fraud scheme that occurred in Nassau County, Long Island.
According to detectives, RNJ Pharmacy, Inc. (located in Freeport) and Jericho Express Rx, Inc. (located in Floral Park) were involved in a healthcare fraud scheme involving approximately $8 million in pharmaceutical billing, of which approximately $5 million was received in payments.
According to the investigation, both pharmacies submitted claims for high-cost prescription medications.
Much of the billing was tied to Medicaid, Medicare and private health insurance. The claims were submitted without the knowledge or consent of the doctors who prescribed the drugs, or the beneficiaries for whom they were intended; Furthermore, the medications associated with said claims were never dispensed.
The investigation was conducted by detectives with the collaboration of the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office, the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Diversion Enforcement Division, the US Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), the US Department of Labor, the Enforcement and Removal Operations division of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE ERO) and the Investigations Division of the New York State Comptroller’s Office.
RNJ Pharmacy, Inc. Faces 2nd Healthcare Fraud Charges 2nd degree grand larceny. degree and three counts of 1st degree identity theft. degree.
Jericho Express Rx, Inc. Faces 2nd Health Fraud Charges 2nd degree grand larceny. and two counts of 1st degree identity theft. degree.
It should be noted that NCPD will create the PHANTOM Task Force to combat similar schemes involving pharmaceutical fraud, fraudulent drug billing and identity theft.
“Operation RX Hammer” highlights the importance of coordinating law enforcement efforts to investigate healthcare fraud, protect patients and healthcare programs, and hold perpetrators of these alleged criminal activities accountable.
