LITTLE FALLS – Another former sales rep for a prescription drug company has pleaded guilty in a scheme to defraud the state health benefits program.
Thomas Bowers, 46, of Little Falls, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
He would sell medications to physicians, and he would earn a percentage.
In order to inflate his commission, he would have doctors write prescriptions for patients they never saw. These patients were recruited to be part of the conspiracy, many of whom were members of the New Jersey School Employee’s Health Benefits Program.
Then, his employers would pay him based on what they received from insurance.
The companies involved were not named by police.
The prescriptions were for compounded medications. These are drugs mixed by a medical professional to create a medication tailored to the needs of an individual patient. The Food and Drug Administration does not approve compounded drugs and thus does not verify the safety, potency, effectiveness, or manufacturing quality of compounded drugs. Generally, a physician may prescribe compounded drugs when an FDA-approved drug does not meet the health needs of a particular patient.
The medications included pain, scar, and wound creams and certain supplements and vitamins. His actions took place between December of 2014 and March of 2016.
The count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greater. As part of his plea agreement, Bowers must forfeit $157,747 in criminal proceeds and pay restitution of at least $593,678. Sentencing is scheduled for April 8, 2021.
Almost identical charges were recently levied against Joshua Darstek, 38, of Freehold, who also admitted to a compounded prescription drug conspiracy.
