Nikolas Kerest U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the District of Vermont
A doctor from New England has been sentenced to prison following his guilty plea in a drug conspiracy case. Dr. Adnan S. Khan, aged 49, and based in Manchester, New Hampshire, received an eight-month prison sentence. This will be followed by two years of supervised release. The court has ordered him to forfeit $75,000 and pay a $20,000 fine. He has also relinquished his medical license and DEA registrations. This sentence marks the first joint prosecution by the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Vermont and the United States Department of Justice, Criminal Division, Health Care Fraud Unit's New England Strike Force.
Court documents reveal that Dr. Khan conspired with others to distribute opioids illegally through his business, New England Medicine and Counseling Associates (NEMCA). Khan's admission to requiring cash for office visits and falsifying medical records was part of the plea agreement. The investigation disclosed that he diverted funds from these activities for personal use, including purchasing an airplane and properties in New England.
Emails exchanged during the conspiracy show awareness of the New England Strike Force's formation, articulated by a co-conspirator's statement about profiting from patients. Despite the warning, Khan instructed staff to avoid engaging with the task force. He acknowledged concerns about the loss of patients due to pharmacies' unwillingness to fill prescriptions and proposed retaining "dishonest" patients who diverted drugs.
This case, prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Thomas D. Campbell and Danielle H. Sakowski and Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Gilman, was investigated by various agencies, including the Department of Health and Human Services, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Vermont Attorney General's Office Medicaid Fraud and Residential Abuse Unit.
The case is part of the broader efforts led by the Fraud Section involving federal and state agencies to combat health care fraud via the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. The program has charged over 5,800 defendants involved in fraudulent activities amounting to more than $30 billion. More details can be accessed at www.justice.gov/criminal/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Those needing opioid treatment services can contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's 24/7 National Helpline at 1-800-662-4359.
