COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - A Florida woman gets jail time after pleading guilty to a scheme involving forged prescriptions sent to a South Carolina pharmacy to be filled.
U.S. Attorney Sherri A. Lydon, in a statement, said 47-year-old Natacha Gonzalez, of Weston, was sentenced to 12 months and one day for health care fraud and aggravated identity theft.
She also must pay $61,738 in restitution to various insurance companies.
Evidence showed Gonzalez owned a Florida business engaged in medical marketing.
Authorities say she brokered false prescriptions for compounded medications and received a profit when they were filled.
Gonzalez obtained blank prescriptions in three doctors' names and then forged the prescriptions.
She sent them to a pharmacy that later billed insurers and received payment.
The pharmacy then sent a portion of the payment to Gonzalez.