MI - Six doctors charged in massive opioid fraud scheme

[BetteDavisEyes]

6 doctors from Oakland, Wayne, Kent counties charged in massive opioid, fraud scheme

Doctors accused of issuing more than 13 million doses of opioids since 2013

DETROIT - Six Michigan doctors have been charged in connection with a scheme to defraud health care providers out of more than $450 million and unlawfully prescribe more than 13 million opioids.

Dr. Rajendra Bothra, Dr. Eric Bakos, Dr. Ganiu Edu, Dr. David Lewis, Dr. Christopher Russo and Dr. Ronald Kufner are accused of being part of the scheme from January 2013 through November 2018...

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Six Detroit-area doctors charged in $500M opioid scheme

Detroit — Six doctors were charged in an unsealed indictment Thursday with cheating Medicare and Medicaid out of almost $500 million and fueling the nation's opioid epidemic by illegally prescribing more than 13 million doses of prescription pain medication.

The dollars and drugs involved make the alleged health care fraud conspiracy one of the largest in Michigan history, and one of the largest nationwide...

 

[silverjug]

Wow that's a lot of money to defraud, and appalling for the patients who have been prescribed opioids illegally. Greed like this brings society to it's knees.

 

[Abba's Tears]

I hope they loose their medical licenses permanently, and face significant time in prison. Who knows how many deaths can be attributed to their actions? And how many more addicts are suffering because of them? All because of greed, power, and love of money.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

'Mastermind' of opioid scheme bought island, stashed millions overseas

Detroit — The accused mastermind of one of the nation's largest health-care fraud schemes amassed a $35 million fortune, including an island, a mansion and an overseas bank account stuffed with cash.

The riches of Dr. Rajendra Bothra emerged Friday as a federal judge weighed whether to release the pain clinic doctor on bond pending trial in a nearly $500 million conspiracy. The conspiracy involves Bothra and five other doctors who are accused of fueling the nation's opioid epidemic, cheating Medicare and subjecting patients to needless, painful back injections, prosecutors said...

 

[Fairy1]

This is so infuriating. How much of this is going on in this country? It affects all of us.

 

[Laughing]

Yeah, your health insurance company and mine paid for some of these unneeded doses -- and pushed premiums up, too.

Obviously less important than the loss of lives to addiction.

 

[musicaljoke]

The fact that this situation went on for six(!) years, speaks to the need for reforms to the narcotic tracking logs. Doctors who prescribe more narcotics than an anticipated need to be investigated quickly.

My goodness, I was always terrified of miscounting even one tablet, or the RCMP would be knocking on our door. I am completely disgusted by the boldness of these six criminals. May their medical degrees be used for toilet paper.