A Macomb County doctor and a pharmacist, entangled in allegations of submitting fraudulent medical claims, have settled with federal and state authorities agreeing to pay nearly $701,000, in a case spotlighting the enforcement of the False Claims Act. Dr. Stephen Swetech, his business GMAJOS, LLC, and pharmacist Yasser Maisari entered into the accord with the United States and the State of Michigan, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Michigan officially announced yesterday.
The settlement addresses allegations, that from January 2016 through January 2020, Dr. Swetech and Maisari engaged in a scheme that involved overprescribing unnecessary medications and exchanging kickbacks for patient referrals. Dr. Swetech has also consented to forgo his DEA registration, ending his capacity to prescribe, dispense, or administer controlled substances. GMAJOS, owned by Dr. Swetech's wife, leased office space to several medical practices, including a pharmacy operated by Maisari.
"The False Claims Act is an important tool to deter and hold accountable those who submit fraudulent medical claims to the government," U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison clarified, according to the press release by the U.S. Attorney's Office. The case pivoted on two sets of allegations: rental agreements intended as veiled inducements for referrals and the rampant prescription of medication without medical necessity.
Stemming from a qui tam, or whistleblower lawsuit filed under the False Claims Act, the settlement resulted from collaborative investigation efforts involving various federal and state agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Postulka lead the case, with a concerted push by the Michigan Attorney General’s Health Care Fraud Division and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - Office of Inspector General among others. The implicated parties have not been criminally charged, but the hefty financial settlement underscores the government's unwavering stance against health care fraud.
