A radiologist who formerly worked at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) has pleaded guilty to healthcare fraud and illegally prescribing opioids, according to federal authorities.
Dr. Marios Papachristou pleaded guilty to two counts in connection with the case, according to a May 3 news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania. He will be sentenced in October and faces a maximum term of 20 years in prison and a fine of $1 million on the opioid counts, along with 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 on the healthcare fraud counts.
Papachristou is one of two former UPMC radiologists who were arrested earlier this year as part of an investigation into illegal opioid distribution in Pennsylvania. Investigators told the court that Papachristou had allegedly conspired to "create and submit illegal prescriptions for Vicodin," and then dispensed the opioids to other individuals.
Investigators charged Papachristou with healthcare fraud because he then allegedly submitted fraudulent claims to UPMC Health Plan for reimbursement for the unlawfully prescribed Vicodin. Papachristou allegedly participated in the scheme with another UPMC radiologist, Dr. Omar Almusa, who was also arrested earlier this year. Together, the two allegedly prescribed nearly 10,000 opioid pills, according to an article on WPXI.com. Like Papachristou, Almusa was terminated by UPMC after police filed charges against him.
Almusa appeared in court on May 3, according to the story; the district attorney's office dropped state charges against him, but he is also facing federal charges in connection with the case.
