LITTLE ROCK — Four people have pleaded guilty to federal conspiracy charges over a military health insurance kickback scheme that generated over $10 million in fraudulent prescriptions.
U.S. Attorney Cody Hiland said Thursday that 48-year-old Michael Beeman of Maumelle, 50-year-old Michael Sean Brady of Little Rock, 43-year-old Brad Duke of Little Rock and 38-year-old Charlotte Leija of Conway face up to five years in federal prison.
Authorities say Duke, a medical sales representative working for a Mississippi pharmacy, paid recruiters like Brady and Beeman to find beneficiaries of Tricare, the military's insurance program.
Tricare pays pharmacies thousands of dollars per patient for compounded drugs.
Duke then paid Leija, a medical assistant, to file prescriptions under a doctor's name and collected a share of the payment.
The federal prosecutor's office expects more charges to be filed.
Read Friday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.