Houston man guilty in $160M Medicare fraud scheme
US Department of Justice, Southern District of Texas, October 15, 2024
HOUSTON — A 59-year-old Houston man has been convicted of all 15 counts as charged for heading a massive Medicare fraud scheme involving the fraudulent billing of expensive topical creams, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
The jury deliberated for less than five hours before convicting Mohamad Mokbel following a 10-day trial.
From 2014 through 2021, Mohamad Mokbel led a company called 4M Pharmaceuticals which operated 14 pharmacies with straw owners. The jury heard evidence that Mokbel illegally purchased thousands of Medicare beneficiaries, including their identification number, personal health and physician information. Mokbel targeted elderly diabetic patients who are dependent on diabetic testing supplies to manage their blood sugar levels. Mokbel paid $16 to $40 per Medicare beneficiary.
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