Pharmacist who committed $14.4 million Medicaid fraud in Nebraska receives 9-year prison sentence

[Omaha Steve]

Source: Omaha World Herald

By Joe Duggan

LINCOLN — A federal judge gave a prison sentence of nine years and two months Wednesday to a pharmacist who orchestrated the largest Medicaid fraud on record in Nebraska.

Scott T. Tran, 45, of Omaha, stole $14.4 million from the government program during a six-year period starting in 2009. Most of the money was spent playing blackjack in Council Bluffs’ casinos, according to an FBI investigation.

Tran was sentenced Wednesday by U.S. District Judge John Gerrard at the federal courthouse in Lincoln. Under a plea bargain announced in September, Tran pleaded guilty to a single felony charge of health care fraud. In exchange, the U.S. Attorney’s Office agreed to dismiss 17 additional charges against him.

Clarence Mock, Tran’s attorney, has said his client suffered from a gambling addiction he was able to hide from his family.

FULL story at link.

Read more: http://www.livewellnebraska.com/consumer/pharmacist-who-committed-million-medicaid-fraud-in-nebraska-receives-/article_58973600-6cf4-5c70-ab54-74dc231cc29d.html

[tom_kelly]

1. 9 Years for 14M???

Doesn't seem to be much deterrent there.

[cui bono]

4. Yeah, my first thought was that seems pretty light. n/t

[Marty McGraw]

2. Mixing Scott with Medicaid

produces very bitter pills to swallow

[Mnemosyne]

3. There are the true abusers of the medicaid/medicare system, not people trying to see a doctor. nt

[Midnight Writer]

5. He would have got more time for holding up a 7-11 for 50 bucks

[zalinda]

6. And what type of prison is he going to? eom

[Wuddles440]

7. Not surprising......

courts have always taken a lenient view of white collar fraud. After all, they usually are well educated and considered "pillars of the community". However, at least he received some jail time for his criminal actions. There was a time, not long ago, that these case would rarely be pursued criminally and, if they were, the most harshest sentence imposed would be probation and possibly a modest fine. Even more galling was the treatment of these cases during the Bush Administration when the IG, Janet Rehnquist, initiated or closed investigations based on political motivations. Hardly heard a peep from the Cons or media about it.

[Ducksworthy]

8. Scott Tran, Rick Scott

He could still be governor of Florida, if he hid enough of the money.

[McCamy Taylor]

9. He's making over a million dollars a year! Most folks would go to jail for that salary.

[tabasco]

10. Good thing he didn't have any pot plants in his closet

or he would have gotten 20 years in Nebraska.