Two Philadelphia pharmacy fraud scheme leaders plead guilty

(WPHL) — Two leaders of a $12 million Medicaid fraud scheme have pleaded guilty this week, Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday announced. Peter Dello Buono, 70, and Frank Bengermino, 70, have been sentenced to state prison.

Dello Buono, who managed daily operations at the Broad Street Pharmacy in South Philadelphia, will serve 2 to 5 years in state prison. Bengermino, the in-store pharmacist, will serve 1½ to 5 years in state prison. Dello Buono and Bengermino are prohibited from owning, operating, or working at a pharmacy. Both are also excluded from the Medicaid and Medicare programs, and a judge ordered they be responsible for $12.25 million in restitution.

Nine people were charged last year, and seven pleaded guilty this week.

The following people are charged with Medicaid fraud, dealing in unlawful proceeds, theft by deception, conspiracy, and other offenses:

• Berry Davis, 59, of Philadelphia
• Brian O’Hara, 52 of Philadelphia
• Michael McCue, 68 of Philadelphia
• Christian Bengermino, 36, of Folsom
• Evan Gusz, 54, of Glenside

Angelo Amorosi, 62, of Philadelphia, was charged with dealing in unlawful proceeds and conspiracy.

All have pleaded guilty, except O’Hara and McCue, whose cases are still pending.

Elizabeth Thompson, 70, owner of Broad Street Pharmacy and Dello Buono’s wife, will serve four years of probation, and abide by the same conditions as her husband.

According to the AG’s office, the fraud scheme worked by billing expensive medications, including Latuda and HIV medications, to Medicaid and Medicare. Very few of the medications were acquired and disbursed.

The Broad Street Family Pharmacy was licensed to provide services to Medicaid and Medicare consumers. Prosecutors say while Thompson owned the pharmacy, her husband, Dello Buono, operated it, even though his pharmacist license was suspended, and not allowed to be a provider under the Medicaid and Medicare benefit programs. To get around this restriction, Frank Bengermino, who had a valid pharmacist license, was the managing pharmacist.

After agents executed a search warrant in the fall of 2021, the AG’s office says the pharmacy has since ceased operations and closed its doors.

“This was a years-long conspiracy that defrauded state and federal programs designed to help people and families in need, and ripped off taxpayers who fund those programs,” Attorney General Sunday said. “This criminal enterprise prioritized personal greed over the wellbeing of Pennsylvanians. I credit our team, the grand jurors, and investigative partners for seeing this case through to a just resolution that sends a message that Medicaid Fraud is far from a victimless crime.”