TRENTON
- Division of Criminal Justice Director
Vaughn L. McKoy announced that a Passaic
County pharmacist has pleaded guilty to
defrauding the Medicaid Program out of
more than $35,000 by using the identifications
of unknowing Medicaid recipients to submit
forged prescriptions for payment. The
Medicaid Program is funded by the state
and federal governments and provides health
care services and prescription drugs to
persons who may not otherwise be able
to afford such services and medicines.
According to Director McKoy and Insurance
Fraud Prosecutor Greta Gooden-Brown, Nino
Paradiso, 61, Poplar Drive, Morris Plains,
Morris County, pleaded guilty on Jan.
14 before Passaic County Superior Court
Judge Edward Gannon to Medicaid Fraud
(3rd degree). When sentenced on March
18, Paradiso faces up to five years in
state prison and a fine of up to $15,000.
In pleading guilty, Paradiso, a licensed
pharmacist and the owner/operator of Singac
Pharmacy and Surgical Supply, Route 23,
Little Falls, Passaic County, admitted
that he submitted 103 fictitious and/or
fraudulent prescription drug claims to
the Medicaid Program between February
and August, 2001. An investigation by
the Division of Criminal Justice - Office
of Insurance Fraud Prosecutor determined
that the fraudulent claims were submitted
to the Medicaid Program using the identifications
of eight Medicaid recipients who were
unaware of the fictitious prescriptions
and fraudulent claims. As a result of
the fraudulent billing scheme, Medicaid
was billed more than $35,000. Paradiso
was charged via a June 13, 2003 State
Grand Jury indictment filed by the Division
of Criminal Justice - Office of Insurance
Fraud Prosecutor.
State Investigator Carlos Ortiz and Deputy
Attorney General Riza Dagli coordinated
the investigation. DAG Dagli represented
the Division
of Criminal Justice - Office of Insurance
Fraud Prosecutor at the guilty plea
hearing.
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