An Indian-origin doctor, Neil K. Anand, 48, from Bensalem, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced to 168 months (14 years) in federal prison for orchestrating healthcare fraud, wire fraud, unlawful distribution of controlled substances, and money laundering. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) also ordered Anand to pay over $2 million in restitution and forfeit an additional $2 million.
Anand was convicted in April 2025 of conspiring to submit false claims to Medicare, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) health plans, Independence Blue Cross (IBC), and Anthem. The scheme involved dispensing "Goody Bags" of medically unnecessary prescription drugs through in-house pharmacies he owned. Medicare, OPM, IBC, and Anthem paid over $2.4 million in reimbursements for these "Goody Bags". To push patients to accept the unwanted drugs, Anand also conspired to illegally distribute oxycodone.
Evidence presented in court showed that unlicensed medical interns wrote prescriptions for controlled substances on blank forms pre-signed by Anand. In total, he prescribed more than 20,000 oxycodone tablets to just nine patients. The DOJ stated that Anand prescribed thousands of oxycodone tablets without a legitimate medical purpose, contributing to the opioid crisis.
After learning of the federal probe, Anand tried to conceal the proceeds by transferring about $1.2 million into an account in a relative's name. This led to additional convictions for money laundering and unlawful monetary transactions.
U.S. District Judge Chad F. Kenney rejected Anand's defense that his actions were motivated by compassion for his patients. The judge stated that Anand was motivated by "greed and illicit profits rather than patient care," emphasizing that "their pain was your gain".
The case was investigated by the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, and the Office of Personnel Management Office of Inspector General. It was prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Paul J. Koob, Patrick J. Campbell, and Arun Bodapati of the Justice Department's Fraud Section.
Another Indian-origin doctor, Ritesh Kalra, 51, of Secaucus, New Jersey, has been charged with distributing drugs without a legitimate medical purpose, allegedly in exchange for sexual favors. Kalra allegedly operated a "pill mill" out of his medical office, prescribing high-dose opioids, including oxycodone, and promethazine with codeine to patients. He is accused of issuing more than 31,000 prescriptions for oxycodone between January 2019 and February 2025 and billing for false in-person visits and counseling sessions.
