Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr., U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan | Department of Justice
A Michigan man pleaded guilty on May 1 to defrauding health care benefit programs, including Medicare and Medicaid, by billing for prescription medications that were never dispensed and providing unlawful prescriptions of oxycodone to drug traffickers in exchange for cash.
According to court documents, Ali Naserdean, 32, of Dearborn Heights, worked as a pharmacy technician at three metro-Detroit pharmacies from 2019 through 2022. Prosecutors said Naserdean and a co-conspirator submitted false claims for prescription drugs that were not ordered by doctors or given to patients. The pair used forged prescriptions from doctors as part of the scheme when the patient had never seen the listed doctor or received the medication. Authorities estimate their actions caused more than $5.6 million in losses to Medicare, Medicaid, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.
Naserdean also provided unlawful prescriptions of oxycodone to drug traffickers in exchange for cash during this period. Officials said these transactions occurred without regard for whether physicians actually prescribed the medication or if it was dispensed properly.
Naserdean pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and possession with intent to illegally distribute oxycodone. He is scheduled for sentencing on Sept. 1 and faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted on all charges. Sentencing will be determined by a federal district court judge after reviewing U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division; U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr.; Special Agent in Charge Reuben Coleman of the FBI Detroit Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Thomas Ethridge of HHS-OIG announced the plea agreement.
The case was investigated by the FBI Detroit Field Office, HHS-OIG, and City of Dearborn Police Department; prosecution was handled by Trial Attorney Jeffrey A. Crapko from the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section along with Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul A. Kuebler.
In April, the Department of Justice announced creation of its Fraud Division focused on investigating those who commit fraud against federal programs as part of President Trump’s Task Force chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance.
