Pharmacy Owner Pleads Guilty to $6.5 million Health Care Fraud Schemes

A New York woman pleaded guilty today to perpetrating schemes to defraud health care programs, including obtaining more than $6.5 million from Medicare Part D Plans and Medicaid drug plans.

According to court documents, Aleah Mohammed, 36, of Queens, was an owner and operator of five pharmacies:  Superdrugs Inc., Superdrugs I Inc., Superdrugs II Inc., S&A Superdrugs II Inc. and Village Stardrugs Inc. Between 2018 and 2020, the defendant engaged in schemes that defrauded health care programs, including Medicare and Medicaid, through claims for prescription drugs that were not dispensed, not prescribed as claimed, not medically necessary, or that were purportedly dispensed during a time when the pharmacy was no longer registered with the State of New York. The fraudulent claims included, among others, claims for prescription drugs for the treatment of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Mohammed admitted to using the proceeds of the scheme, among other things, to purchase luxury items such a Porsche and jewelry. 

Mohammed pleaded guilty to mail fraud, health care fraud, and conspiracy to commit health care fraud. She is scheduled to be sentenced at a later date and faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison. Mohammed is required to pay $6.5 million in restitution to Medicare and Medicaid, and, as part of her plea agreement, agreed to a $5.1 million forfeiture money judgment. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicholas L. McQuaid of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting U.S. Attorney Mark J. Lesko of the Eastern District of New York; Assistant Director in Charge William F. Sweeney Jr. of the FBI’s New York Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Scott J. Lampert of the Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) made the announcement.

The FBI and HHS-OIG are investigating the case.

Trial Attorney Andrew Estes of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section is prosecuting the case.