Doctor convicted in $400M compound pharmacy scheme sentenced

[TexasTowelie]

A Coast doctor convicted on 16 federal charges related to a $400 million compound pharmacy scheme was sentenced Thursday to 3½ years in prison.

U.S. District Judge Keith Starrett sentenced 78-year-old Dr. Albert Diaz to serve 42 months for each of the 16 crimes for which he was convicted, to be served concurrently.

Starrett said although the sentencing guidelines suggested 7-9 years per count, he cut the total significantly because of the doctor's age and failing health. He also said the doctor's harsher punishment was the loss of his medical practice, credentials and income.

"That's probably the worst punishment he will ever sustain," the judge said.

Read more: https://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/crime/2018/06/07/doctor-convicted-compound-pharmacy-scheme-sentenced/680700002/

[mr_lebowski]

1. Right because at 13 years past retirement age his 'medical practice' was

staggeringly valuable to him still. Pffft.

At 43 months for stealing $400,000,000, the penalty for stealing a $40,000 diamond necklace from some wealthy socialite should be ... lets see ... .0043 months, or roughly 3.1 hours in jail if my math is correct.

What a joke of a sentence this is for stealing $400,000,000.

Guess it pays to be RICH.

[HopeAgain]

2. This is why we need socialized medicine not single payer

Pharmacies were getting thousands to compound (mix in a mixer) less than a hundred Dollars worth of ingredients in non-sterile topical creams. These creams weren't any moe effective than oral ibuprofen but the doctors were getting kickbacks for putting their medicare patients on it.

Medicare can't keep up with all the schemes and cottage industries that pop up with over valued care in the fee schedules.