MEDICAL MARKETER SENTENCED FOR ROLE IN HEALTH CARE FRAUD SCHEME

Johnathan Pena, a medical marketer based in Los Angeles, California, was sentenced on February 27, 2023, to time served and three years’ probation for conspiracy to commit health care fraud and honest services mail fraud, as well as a violation of the Travel Act. Pena was also ordered to forfeit $134,336.78.

Pena brokered kickbacks and bribe payments to doctors in exchange for their referrals of compounded medications, durable medical equipment, and other health care goods to certain providers. Specifically, our investigation found that Pena worked as a marketer for TYY Consulting, Inc., to provide medically unnecessary compounded drug prescriptions to Precise Compounding Pharmacy that were reimbursed by health care benefit programs, including Amtrak’s plan. As a result of the scheme, Amtrak’s insurance providers were fraudulently charged approximately $22,000.