Cuomo
NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - The subject of one of New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo's civil lawsuits was sentenced to several years in prison Thursday.
Rauf Ahmad, the owner of several New York City pharmacies, pleaded guilty to grand larceny in the first degree and received a sentence of 3 1/3-10 years for his role in a ring that charged millions of dollars in fraudulent Medicaid billings.
"It is reprehensible that some individuals would steal from a system that provides affordable and quality health care to New Yorkers," Cuomo said.
Cuomo is seeking the recovery of more than $1 million transferred by Ahmad's wife to his family in Pakistan. Since Ahmad's arrest, Cuomo has secured the return of $400,000.
Bronx Supreme Court Justice Steven Barrett sentenced Ahmad for his role in the operation, which took place Nov. 2005-Oct. 2006.
Ahmad purchased fake prescriptions and Medicaid beneficiary cards from other partners in the scheme and used them to bill Medicaid on behalf of the pharmacies he owned, Cuomo says.
Medicaid paid more than $5 million for prescriptions that were never filled. Cuomo added that a doctor and other pharmacists were in on the scheme.
From Legal Newsline: Reach John O'Brien by e-mail at john@legalnewsline.com.