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Medical Doctor Gets 14 Months in Federal Prison for Accepting Bribes as Part of Compounded Medication Conspiracy

Posted by Fay Arfa | Oct 15, 2021 | 0 Comments

          A federal judge sentenced Dr. Amir Friedman, 56, a Calabasas physician to 14 months in federal prison for accepting about $800,000 in bribes and kickbacks as part of a conspiracy that unlawfully billed health insurers for compounded medication prescriptions.

         Friedman pleaded guilty in October 2019 to one count of conspiracy to commit honest services mail and wire fraud, and to violate the Travel Act, a federal law that – among other things – forbids the use of the U.S. mail for the purpose of aiding bribery.

          Friedman, a licensed anesthesiologist, violated the fiduciary duty he owed to his patients by accepting kickbacks and bribes for writing prescriptions for compounded medications for his patients.

          Compounded drugs are tailor-made products doctors may prescribe when the Food and Drug Administration-approved alternative does not meet the health needs of a patient.

          From August 2013 to May 2015, Friedman conspired with New Age Pharmaceuticals Inc., a Beverly Hills-based company, and a marketer – listed in court documents as “Marketer A” – to violate federal law. Insurance companies under the California Workers' Compensation System reimbursed New Age for dispensing prescription drugs and other pharmaceuticals. Marketer A was paid commissions for facilitating the referral of compounded drug prescriptions.

          Marketer A provided pre-printed prescription pads for compounded drugs to Friedman and offered Friedman kickbacks and bribes for each prescription he wrote. After Friedman wrote the kickback-tainted prescriptions, New Age dispensed the compounded drugs, billed insurance companies for reimbursement and shipped through the mail the compounded drugs to patients.

In total, Friedman accepted $788,140 in kickbacks and bribes – a sum he received in the form of approximately 28 check payments that represented illicit proceeds from the conspiracy. He admitted in his plea agreement that he was aware that the compounded drugs he prescribed were far more expensive than equivalents.

About the Author

Fay Arfa

Fay Arfa has the distinction of being Certified as a Specialist in two separate areas of law – Criminal Law as well as Appellate Law – by the California State Bar, Board of Specialization. The National Board of Trial Advocacy has also awarded her a board Certification in Criminal Trial Advocacy. ...

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