February 7, 2019

A former bus driver with the New York Metropolitan Transit Authority has been sentenced to 20 months in prison for defrauding the authority’s health benefit plan of $2.8 million. Enver Kalaba, who was recruited into the scheme by former bus driver Christopher Frusci, worked on behalf of an unnamed company to pay bribes to fellow MTA employees in exchange for medically unnecessary prescription compounded medications. For each prescription for medications such as pain creams, scar creams, and metabolic supplements, Kalaba and Frusci paid $100. As part of his sentence, Kalaba must now forfeit $138,630 in fraudulent earnings and pay $2.9 million in restitution. Frusci is scheduled to be sentenced next month. USAO NJ

Tagged in: Compounding Pharmacy Fraud, Criminal Proceedings, Healthcare Fraud, Lack of Medical Necessity, Other Government Health Programs,