Texas Doctors Charged in New Indictment

HOUSTON—A federal grand jury has returned a superseding indictment adding 35 more counts to the previously returned 29-count indictment against Dr. Arun Sharma and his wife, Dr. Kiran Sharma, M.D., United States Attorney Tim Johnson announced today. Drs. Arun and Kiran Sharma, both 59, operated the Allergy, Asthma, Arthritis and Pain Centers located at on Cole Street in Webster, Texas, and another on Garth Road in Baytown, Texas.

In the original 29-count indictment, the Sharmas were accused of conspiracy to defraud Medicare/Medicaid and private health care providers of more than $31 million by falsely claiming to have administered facet joint injections and blocks to patients and routinely prescribing excessive amounts of hydrocodone, Soma and Xanax to patients that were not for a legitimate medical purpose in exchange for cash payments. The doctors were alleged to have stored large amounts of cash received from the sale of hydrocodone prescriptions at their home. Kiran Sharma allegedly transported large amounts of cash received from the sale of the hydrocodone prescriptions to two safe deposit boxes—one each at Bank of America and Prosperity Bank.

The superseding indictment was returned late Thursday, Aug. 13, 2009. It charges Drs. Arun and Kiran Sharma with three new counts of illegally distributing controlled substances for hydrocodone and methadone prescriptions written to specific patients, four new counts of health care fraud, nine counts of mail fraud, conspiring to launder illegal proceeds and 18 counts of laundering their illegal proceeds by hiding the drug cash in their safe deposit boxes, moving the fraud proceeds between several accounts they controlled and sending fraud proceeds back to India. It is alleged Kiran Sharma visited the two safe deposit boxes a total of 61 times and transported more than $816,000 in cash to the boxes.

The new charges include accusations against the Sharmas of prescribing more than 8,000 tablets of hydrocodone to one patient over an eight-month period. In two other counts, they are charged with prescribing 540 tablets of hydrocodone to one patient on May 23, 2005, and another 540 tablets to the same patient on Dec. 5, 2005.

Additionally, the forfeiture notice provision of the original indictment has been expanded to include the following assets which the government intends to forfeit as proceeds/property derived from their alleged illegal activity: 12 pieces of real estate including the defendants’ Kemah residence and both of their clinics, 32 investment accounts, 23 bank accounts and the $1.5 million in cash seized from the defendants’ home and safe deposit boxes for a total of $31 million.

The court has ordered the Sharmas, who are free on bond, to appear in federal court on Aug. 21, 2009, for arraignment on the new charges.

Upon conviction, health care fraud carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in a federal prison and a $250,000 fine. The fraud conspiracy charge and the mail fraud counts each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in a federal prison and a $250,000 fine. The drug conspiracy and the 10 Schedule III drug distribution counts carry a penalty of five years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. The three new Schedule II drug distribution counts carry a penalty of 20 years imprisonment and a $1 million fine. The money laundering conspiracy and the individual money laundering counts carry a maximum penalty from 10 to 20 years and a fine of $250,000 to $500,000.

The criminal charges are the result of a joint investigation being conducted by agents of the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, the Department of Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General and the Medicare Fraud Control Unit of the Texas Attorney General's Office in conjunction with the Webster, League City and Baytown Police Departments. The case will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Al Balboni.

It always seems to be foreign or minority Drs that are cheating the Medicare system.

Yes, and I have turned in a couple of doctors (husband & wife) just like these two. If they know the right people in the right places NOTHING will happen to them.

The only satisfaction is that one of their employees stole $500,000 from them and has been charged with 5 felonies. Hopefully the little skunk will talk to save his butt and they get investigated by someone who gives a crap!

I found this...

The indictment alleges that Dr Arun Sharma routinely saw in excess of 70 patients per day

rph
Guest
Re: Dr Arun & Kiran Sharma Baytown TX - Drug deal
« Reply #10 on: Jul 31st, 2009, 5:11pm »

I’m a pharmacist that has filled many prescriptions for Dr. Sharma over the years. However, a friend of mine recently opened an independent pharmacy close to his location. Dr. Sharma called him and asked him to come to the office so that he could refer some patients to the new pharmacy. Once my friend got there, Dr. Sharma asked him to go in on a Medicaid fraud scheme with him where he would write prescriptions for wheelchairs and scooters that the patients didn’t really need and the pharmacy could bill Medicaid for them and keep the reimbursement. Then, my friend would have to pay Dr. Sharma $1000 for each rx. He assured my friend he has the same arrangement with several other pharmacies in the area. My friend politely declined, not willing to risk jailtime and criminal prosecution, and left. He deserves to lose everything and get alot of jailtime. But as reckless as he was, I strongly feel that when his day in court comes, he will be long gone to India, using a family member’s passport.”

http://vmehta.conforums3.com/index.cgi?board=lifestyle&action=display&num=1246025820&start=3

ko
Guest
Re: Dr Arun & Kiran Sharma Baytown TX - Drug deal
« Reply #8 on: Jul 18th, 2009, 8:44pm »

“I saw Dr Arun Sharma in 1989 and reported him to my medical insurance Company at that time for fraud. He had billed inusrance for 13 injections when I had received only 1. My insurance company got him and I and the insurance company on the phone at the same time and he stood by his claim and stated I must have been mistaken. I told Aetna not to pay the claim and I was not paying anything to the doctors office. I told Aetna I thought he was a quack and never went back.

As I recall he had a connection with an MRI Company downtown (Houston) that would even pick you up. I did go for my appointment (before I had seen the Aetna bill) but after waiting 3 hours after my appointment time and seeing a steady stream of “patients” getting seen before me I left after explaining I thought they were just an insurance scam outfit.

My impression - they did the crime and should receive max time allowed by law. “

Records obtained from the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) demonstrate that Dr. Arun Sharma has allegedly prescribed 615,671 tablets of hydrocodone (Vicodan), 66,000 tablets of alprazolam (Xanax), and 26,000 tablets of diazepam (Valium) between Sep 1, 2008 and May 22, 2009, FBI said.

I can't begin to tell you how outraged I am at this. I am unable to get a Vicodan prescription refill from my doctor because he claims the DEA is deluging him with paperwork forcing him to explain every refill he prescribes for narcotics or Xanax. While he is very apologetic about it and admits I need the medication he says he's getting too old to take chances with his license which he's had for 33 years. He is instead referring me to a pain management clinic in the hopes they can help.

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