Amid the opioid crisis, the U.S. Attorney’s office and the New York Attorney General have been cracking down on medical professionals for prescription drug fraud. In a recent case, a former pain management doctor is facing a potential lengthy prison sentence after pleading guilty to several charges.

Dr. Gautam Arora, 44, admitted to scheming to defraud a health care benefit program and illegally acquiring controlled prescriptions through misrepresentation and fraud. The charges carry a $250,000 fine and a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

Arora allegedly ran the scheme from April 2013 to May 2017 while he was employed at the Hens Pain Center in Amherst, New York. He prescribed opioids to patients without any valid medical reasons. The opioids included oxycodone, hydrocodone, carisoprodol and dextroamphetamine-amphetamine.

The U.S. Attorney stated that Arora also wrote more than 60 prescriptions for people who were not his patients or without checking the patient’s medical condition, carrying out an examination and evaluating their risk of abusing the drugs. The doctor was accused of fraudulently billing Medicare over $92,200 for patient visits to his office from January 1 to March 31, 2016. He received payments for medical services that were never provided.

Fraud charges can ruin your reputation and your livelihood. If you are being investigated for prescription drug fraud or facing related charges in New York, you need legal representation right away.

Brill Legal Group has experience representing doctors, nurses, pharmacists and others in prescription drug fraud cases. Our skilled defense attorneys are dedicated to fighting for your future and acting in your best interests. Contact us today.