Long Island 'phantom pharmacies' tied to alleged $8 million fraud scheme, investigators say
Nassau authorities say two pharmacies billed millions for prescriptions using stolen identities.
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What appeared to be two ordinary Long Island pharmacies are now at the center of what investigators describe as a multi-million-dollar healthcare fraud scheme.
According to Nassau County authorities, Jericho Express RX, Inc. on Jericho Turnpike in Floral Park and RNJ Pharmacy, Inc. on Guy Lombardo Ave. in Freeport were operating as so-called "phantom pharmacies."
District Attorney Anne Donnelly says the businesses showed few signs of functioning as legitimate pharmacies.
"In reality, anyone trying to access these businesses is met with locked doors, covered windows, empty shelves, and inconsistent business hours," says Donnelly.
Detectives allege the owners of the two pharmacies used fake identities to open the businesses and then stole the identities of doctors and patients to create fraudulent prescriptions.
Authorities say those prescriptions were used to bill Medicaid, Medicare and insurance companies for millions of dollars.
"Those medicines were for HIV, cancer, high-risk-ticketed medicines that were supposed to go to people," says Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder.
Police identified the owner of Jericho Express RX, Inc. as Bakhodir Mirodimov and the owner of RNJ Pharmacy, Inc. as Abdilakim Berdikulov.
Investigators say they are still working to determine whether the two men were working together and whether others were involved in the alleged scheme.
According to police, the operation generated about $8 million in pharmaceutical billings and resulted in approximately $5 million in payments.
Authorities say the community helped uncover the operation.
"The community brought it to my attention, saying that there are these pharmacies that have never opened up, they got paper on the window and they got a name up there, and the doors have never opened up," says Ryder.
Police say they believe there may be other businesses like these in Nassau County and that the investigation is ongoing.
Authorities say the suspects are no longer in the country. While the two men have not been charged, the corporations are facing healthcare fraud, grand larceny and identity theft charges.
