Joseph L. Wiley II, of Monroe, Louisiana, has just pleaded guilty to his participation in a large-scale Mississippi Medicaid and Medicare fraud. Wiley confessed that he helped Mississippi pharmacies submit $400-million worth of fraudulent claims to government health care programs.
Fraud involving pharmaceutical prescriptions has been rampant in the U.S. over the last decade. Wiley is only a small piece of the puzzle in a scheme that allegedly also involved companies and individuals in California, Utah, and Tennessee. Twelve other suspects have already been convicted in connection with the conspiracy.
Wiley’s role in the scheme involved creating false records to justify unnecessary medicinal cream prescriptions that were subsequently billed to the likes of Medicaid, Medicare, and TRICARE. Specifically, the prescriptions, with bogus co-payments, were for pain and scar creams priced as high as $14,000 each.
According to prosecutors, fraudsters offered kickbacks to recruit patients for whom they could create unnecessary and lucrative prescriptions. Court documents show that Wiley’s own company, Affordable Medical Solutions, was involved in creating fake records for several Mississippi-based pharmacies.
Through his participation, Wiley and his company directly facilitated billings to government programs amounting to $57 million. A recent investigation by USA Today revealed that at least 15 federal cases have been filed in connection with the scheme, leading to multiple forfeitures, criminal prosecutions, and even a whistleblower lawsuit. Wiley is currently awaiting sentencing from the U.S. District Court of Southern Mississippi, which is scheduled for July.
Shortly after Wiley entered his guilty plea, Wade Walters of Hattiesburg also pleaded guilty in connection with the compound medicinal cream scheme. According to court documents, Walters "knowingly and intentionally combined, conspired and agreed with others to defraud the United States by aiding in obtaining the payment of false, fictitious and fraudulent claims in connection with the delivery of health care benefits and services, namely compounded medications, through the TRICARE system."
If you know of a healthcare provider or company that is cheating its patients, call us. We can assist you in putting an end to the fraud and help you receive a large cash reward for your trouble. Connect with us 888.742.7248 or ONLINE.