NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — A Queens pharmacy owner was sentenced to 6.5 years in prison Wednesday for fraudulently charging insurance companies for prescription drugs and raking in millions.
The woman, 37-year-old Aleah ‘Abby’ Mohammed, owned and operated five pharmacies around Queens—Superdrugs Inc., Superdrugs I Inc., Superdrugs II Inc., S&A Superdrugs II Inc. and Village Stardrugs Inc.
Between 2015 and 2020, Mohammed submitted bogus claims for prescription drugs through the pharmacies that were either never dispensed, not prescribed as claimed, not medically necessary, or that were dispensed during a time when the pharmacy was no longer registered with the State of New York.
Mohammed defrauded several health care companies, including Medicaid and Medicare, often making claims for expensive drugs to treat HIV, according to court documents.
“Through the Superdrugs Pharmacies that she owned and operated, the defendant was dispensing phantom prescriptions for fraud, stealing millions of dollars from the Medicare and Medicaid programs by submitting false claims for reimbursement,” said U.S. Attorney Breon Peace. “Today's sentence demonstrates there are consequences for those who choose to finance lavish lifestyles by diverting government resources from health care programs intended to help those truly in need.”
Mohammed and her family used the millions she brought in from the schemes to buy luxury items including multiple cars—a Cadillac Escalade SUV, a Mercedes Benz sedan and a Porsche Turbo coupe—as well as jewelry and property in Queens and Pocono Pines, Pennsylvania.
In 2021, Mohammed pleaded guilty to several charges including mail fraud, health care fraud, and conspiracy to commit health care fraud.
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