Fifteen individuals, including Mujjahid Huq, a pharmacist from Halesite, have been charged for their participation in schemes in which the Medicare and Medicaid programs, and other health care benefit programs, were fraudulently billed more than $10.6 billion, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Eastern District office on June 30.

Huq, 45, is charged by indictment with three counts of health care fraud, two counts of unlawful monetary transactions, and conspiracy to make false statements in health care matters in connection with a $2.1 million pharmacy fraud scheme.

As alleged in the indictment, Huq, a licensed pharmacist, owned several pharmacies in Brooklyn, Queens, and Buffalo, New York. Through these pharmacies, Huq billed Medicare and Medicaid $2.1 million for drugs that were not dispensed.  Huq also allegedly agreed with others to make false statements about his ownership of the pharmacies, and used the fraud proceeds for his personal benefit.  Trial Attorneys Patrick J. Campbell and Arun Bodapati of the Northeast Strike Force are in charge of the prosecution.

“This record-setting Health Care Fraud Takedown delivers justice to criminal actors who prey upon our most vulnerable citizens and steal from hardworking American taxpayers,” Attorney General Pamela Bondi said in a statement. “Make no mistake — this administration will not tolerate criminals who line their pockets with taxpayer dollars while endangering the health and safety of our communities.”

Read more about the case here.