Ypsilanti physician among 6 doctors accused of writing illegal prescriptions in drug pipeline
- Previous coverage: Ypsilanti doctor indicted in health care, drug distribution scheme along U.S. 23 pipeline
An Ypsilanti physician is among six Michigan doctors accused of illegally writing prescriptions for millions of doses of prescription painkillers that were funneled in a drug pipeline along U.S. 23 to points south including Portsmouth, Ohio.
Dr. Muhammad Ahmed, 65, of Ypsilanti and the other five doctors are among 44 people indicted on 13 counts in the federal case that prosecutors say involves the acquisition and distribution of OxyContin, Vicodin and Xanax.
OxyContin pills arranged for a photo at a pharmacy.
Toby Talbot | The Associated Press
A staff member at that location said Ahmed no longer works there.
Ahmed’s license to practice as a doctor in Ypsilanti is active, per the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs license database.
There have been no complaints filed with the state regarding Ahmed. His medical license was issued in 1976, and expires Jan. 31, 2014, according to state records.
Ahmed also has a pharmacy license for Schedule III controlled substances that expires Jan. 31, 2014.
Ahmed can continue to practice until his license is suspended, said Jeannie Vogel, spokeswoman for the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs.
Representatives for the University of Michigan Health System, St. Joseph Mercy Ann Arbor Health System and VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System said they have no record of Ahmed working at their facilities.
The prescription drug scheme reportedly began in 2008 and involved six medical clinics operated by four individuals indicted in the case: Sardar Ashrafkhan, Deepak Kumar, John Check and David Vezzossi, according to the indictment.
Those individuals employed different doctors throughout the scheme, including Ahmed, the indictment alleges.
“Each of the prescribers knowingly prescribed prescription drug controlled substances outside the course of legitimate medical practice and for no legitimate medical purpose, in furtherance of the scheme,” the indictment reads.
The other doctors allegedly used in the scheme that were indicted are Dr. Adelfo Pamatmat, 67, of Farmington Hills; Dr. John Geralt, 84, of Beverly Hills; Dr. Malik Dababneh, 53 of Oxford; Dr. Paul Kelly, 76, of Bath, and Dr. Ravi Iyer, 42, of Novi.
The six doctors, as well as physician assistant Timothy Spencer, 64, of Inkster, indicted in the scheme are accused of prescribing a total of 500,000 doses of OxyContin, which carry a street value of more than $10 million.
The doctors are also accused of prescribing more than 2 million doses of Vicodin, 1 million doses of Xanax and more than 1,000 liters of codeine cough syrup.
According to the indictment, Ahmed and the other doctors made money by writing prescriptions or by signing blank prescriptions, at times without an examination of the patient.
Those prescriptions were fed to a person acting as a patient recruiter, who filled the prescriptions at cooperating pharmacies and then transferred them for illegal sale on the street.
Medicare and Medicaid patients were targeted in this scheme, so that doctor visits and medical tests used to gain prescriptions were billed to the federal programs, according to the indictment.
Billings to the Medicare program in this scheme exceeded $20 million, according to the indictment.
Amy Biolchini covers Washtenaw County, health and environmental issues for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at (734) 623-2552, amybiolchini@annarbor.com or on Twitter.
Comments
keeping it real
Tue, Apr 9, 2013 : 7:12 p.m.
They should take every dime and put it towards substance abuse programs. Since the county is so low on funds. Solved!
whatsupwithMI
Sun, Mar 24, 2013 : 10:07 p.m.
--- Michigan Man Pretty much look like all international medical graduates - who are probably not Board Certified. Quality of medical care in USA has really taken a turn for the worse in the last 20 + years. --- Yes, but god-fearing USA-born medical-related Corporations (corporations which have the same rights as people, don't forget) are making more money than ever before. Quality? you must want fries with that Oxycontin. Your local Walgreen's (or Rite-Aid, or CVS, or.... ) Pharm A. (let along the PharmD) know exactly who is writing suspicious volumes of prescriptions. And so do their employers. They just close their eyes and count the cash.
BhavanaJagat
Sun, Mar 24, 2013 : 4:02 p.m.
What is the real problem?: This is indeed a very disturbing story. All of us have to focus upon the fate of those individuals who may have purchased 500,000 doses of OxyContin, 2 million doses of Vicodin, 1 million doses of Xanax, and 1,000 liters of Codeine Syrup. These are real people who have used these drugs which are known for their addictive potential. I want to precisely know as to how our community leaders, the State and the Federal officials would respond to this huge problem of drug dependency. Apart from Dr. Ravi Iyer of Novi who is 42-years old, the other doctors are all senior citizens and prosecuting them would not provide any comfort to this hidden community of young addicts. I am totally surprised to note that pharmacies have dispensed all these doses without asking the doctors any questions. Medicare and Medicaid have become huge burdens on the shoulders of tax-payers and to relieve this pain, government may have to supply free narcotic medication to people who work hard, and diligently pay their taxes.
Doug
Sat, Mar 23, 2013 : 2:19 p.m.
What a waste of minds that should be helping people.
Michigan Man
Sat, Mar 23, 2013 : 12:38 a.m.
Pretty much look like all international medical graduates - who are probably not Board Certified. Quality of medical care in USA has really taken a turn for the worse in the last 20 + years.
Carole
Fri, Mar 22, 2013 : 10:40 p.m.
The millions of dollars that they stole from medicare should be paid back. Plus, prison time which only allows them the luxury of being taken care of my more tax payer dollars.
Paul
Fri, Mar 22, 2013 : 10:38 p.m.
Meanwhile the drug suppliers--the drug companies--get off Scott free. Why are we allowing the drug companies make so much of drugs like OxyContin in the first place ? There is way too much out there. And some folks complain about medical weed. Where is the out cry ? We don't need vast amounts of OxyContin in the first place.
jusayin
Fri, Mar 22, 2013 : 8:36 p.m.
Peddling Poison to the addicted. Low if true
Basic Bob
Fri, Mar 22, 2013 : 9:35 p.m.
@ccsummer, It will be extremely unfortunate if people die or end up in comas. Not only did they steal from the government to buy the drugs, they peddled them on the street.
ccsummer
Fri, Mar 22, 2013 : 9:12 p.m.
While it's true that alcohol and other drugs are "poison" to the addicted, these admittedly strong drugs are a lifeline to people who need them for severe pain, often enabling them to have a quality of life they simply couldn't have otherwise. It will be extremely unfortunate if this scam causes even tighter regulations on those with legitimate need.
TheDiagSquirrel
Fri, Mar 22, 2013 : 7:38 p.m.
Where, exactly, is this drug pipeline on US 23? It would seem easier just to transport the drugs along the existing highway
TheDiagSquirrel
Fri, Mar 22, 2013 : 10:12 p.m.
ccsummer: Thanks for the clarification, but I am aware that there isn't an actual underground drug transporting system on US 23. Maybe on the California/Mexico border, but not here.
ccsummer
Fri, Mar 22, 2013 : 9:07 p.m.
U.S. 23 IS the drug pipeline. Many major arteries in the U.S. are drug pipelines, used to transport illegal drugs throughout the country. Detroit, with it's international border, is the origination point for many of the illegal drugs that come into our country.
Kafkaland
Fri, Mar 22, 2013 : 7:37 p.m.
The sad thing is that because of such abuses it is harder for legitimate patients in severe pain to receive these medications.
Angry Moderate
Fri, Mar 22, 2013 : 7:34 p.m.
What exactly is the standard for declaring a road a "drug pipeline"? Seems pretty arbitrary.
clownfish
Sat, Mar 23, 2013 : 2:37 p.m.
PAUL: From the news release: "Forty-Four individuals have been charged in a health care fraud and drug distribution scheme, U.S. Attorney Barbara L. McQuade announced today. McQuade was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Robert L. Corso of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA),..."
Paul
Fri, Mar 22, 2013 : 10:44 p.m.
Who is making the drugs in the first place ? That is the root of the problem right there. Where is the FDA--DEA for allowing this to go on ? And here they keep weed as a schedule 1 drug and OxyContin as a schedule 111 drug, what a sad joke.
Amy Biolchini
Fri, Mar 22, 2013 : 7:45 p.m.
Great question for the DEA. My interpretation of that phrase was that it was referencing the sheer amounts of prescription drugs that were funneled south to other communities.