The United States Attorney’s Office announced today last week that Karen Williams was indicted on multiple fraud charges involving her scheme to fraudulently obtain prescription drugs and bill them to patient insurance companies.
According to the indictment, Williams was employed as a pharmacy technician at a Walgreens on St. Charles Rock Road. Between 2007 and 2009, Williams created fraudulent prescriptions to obtain drugs and medical supplies, including controlled substances, such as hydrocodone, codeine and Norco, used to control pain; syringes; phentermine, a controlled substance used for weight reduction; Furosemide, a diuretic; antibiotics, such as penicillin, amoxicillin, azithomycin, doxycycline; and Famciclovir and Valtrex, which are antiviral medications. Williams used the names of several doctors and an advanced practice nurse, without their knowledge; and she also used the names of actual Walgreens’ patients without their knowledge to submit bills to the patients’ health insurance companies. The indictment alleges that on some occasions Williams had a unidentified person pick up the prescription drugs from the pharmacy and then give them to her.
Karen Williams, St. Louis, Missouri, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of health care fraud, nineteen felony counts of making false statements and one felony count of illegal possession of hydrocodone. She is expected to appear in federal court this week.
If convicted, health care fraud carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and/or fines up to $250,000; each count of making false statements carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and/or fines up to $250,000 and possession of hydrocodone carries a maximum penalty of four years in prison and/or fines up to $250,000.
This case was investigated by the Department of Health and Human Services-Office of the Inspector General, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Missouri Board of Pharmacy. Assistant United States Attorney Dorothy McMurtry is handling the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations, and each defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Source: U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Missouri