Daijiworld Media Network- New York

New York, Apr 17: An Indian-origin doctor based in the United States has been convicted in a $2.3 million scheme involving the illegal distribution of controlled substances and healthcare fraud, the US Department of Justice announced on Wednesday.

Neil Anand, 48, was found guilty by a federal court in Pennsylvania for issuing medically unnecessary prescriptions for the opioid drug oxycodone—one of the most addictive painkillers contributing to the ongoing opioid crisis in the country.

According to federal prosecutors, Anand was the mastermind of a criminal conspiracy that saw thousands of oxycodone tablets distributed unlawfully. He allegedly provided pre-signed prescriptions to interns, allowing nine individuals to obtain as many as 20,850 tablets without proper medical evaluation or justification.

Investigations revealed that Anand also operated pharmacies where he distributed “Goody Bags” — packages containing unnecessary prescription medications. These were handed out to patients in exchange for access to controlled substances. The cost of these "Goody Bags" was billed to health insurance companies and government medical plans, which ultimately paid out $2.3 million for the fraudulent claims.

When he learned of the federal investigation, Anand attempted to conceal proceeds from the scheme by transferring approximately $1.2 million into an account under his father’s name for the benefit of his minor daughter.

He was initially charged in 2019 alongside four others, three of whom were foreign-trained medical graduates without licenses to practice in the US

The prosecution team, which included Indian-American attorney Arun Bodapati from the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, secured convictions on charges that also included money laundering.

Anand is scheduled to be sentenced in August.

In a related case from 2017, another Indian-American physician, cardiologist Dr. Devendra Patel, was arrested in Nevada on 39 counts of illegal opioid distribution and healthcare fraud. Prosecutors had alleged that from 2014 to 2017, Dr Patel routinely prescribed opioids such as fentanyl, hydrocodone, and oxycodone without valid medical reasons. He later appeared in federal court in Reno and pleaded not guilty.

Both cases highlight increasing federal scrutiny of opioid prescription practices, particularly among healthcare professionals accused of abusing their medical licenses for profit.