DEARBORN, Mich. (WXYZ) — A Dearborn pharmacist is facing federal heath care fraud charges, accused of billing Medicare and Medicaid for medications he did not dispense and for billing for medications for deceased beneficiaries.
The case against Haytham Fakih has been filed in the United State District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. A criminal complaint was filed on Saturday.
In the complaint, federal law enforcement alleges that over a period of four years Fakih billed Medicare and Medicaid for more drugs than he had in his inventory. Officials say the scheme amounted to $1.2 million.
Officals say their audit found that Fakih billed for 10 drugs that he did not have sufficient inventory to dispense in the quantities he reported. The five drugs that had the biggest shortages were Spiriva, Advair Diskus, Nexium, and Celebrex.
Investigators interviewed one person who stated he knew Fakih was billing his insurance for Advair and Spiriva that he was not receiving. In fact, the beneficiary stated he did not get an Advair inhaler in the past two years.
Fakih appeared in court for a hearing on Sunday. He has been released on a $10,000 unsecured bond. He is due back in court for a preliminary examination on January 16.
