A Southern California man has been sentenced to four years in jail for orchestrating a complex scheme that defrauded California’s Medi-Cal program of more than $20 million, authorities announced.
According to the California Attorney General’s Office, Oscar B. Abrons III operated an unlicensed clinic called God’s Property alongside his accomplice, Steven Derrick Fleming. The duo paid Medi-Cal beneficiaries cash in exchange for medically unnecessary prescriptions for HIV medications, antipsychotics, and controlled substances, which were then sold on the illicit market.
Their operation ran from June 23, 2014, to October 1, 2016. During this time, they were joined by Mohamed Waddah El-Nachef, an Orange County-based doctor, who became California’s top prescriber of HIV medications while participating in the scheme.
In total, the trio defrauded the state’s healthcare program of over $20 million.
Fleming has already been sentenced to five years in state prison. El-Nachef received a five-year local custody sentence and has surrendered his medical license.
A restitution hearing is scheduled to determine the amount Abrons must repay.
“When healthcare operators take advantage of Medi-Cal for personal gain, not only are they stealing from taxpayers, but they are also undermining the health and trust of our communities,” said California Attorney General Rob Bonta. “We will not tolerate this unlawful behavior and will continue to hold individuals accountable who exploit this critical program.”
