Southern California man defrauded Medi-Cal of over $20 million

A Southern California man was sentenced for conducting a scheme that defrauded Medi-Cal of over $20 million.

Oscar B. Abrons III, had carried out the scheme alongside two accomplices — Steven Derrick Fleming and Mohamed Waddah El-Nachef — according to the California Attorney General’s Office.

Abrons and Fleming jointly operated an unlicensed clinic called God’s Property, where Medi-Cal beneficiaries were “paid cash in exchange for obtaining medically unnecessary prescriptions for HIV medications, antipsychotics and controlled substances, which were then sold to buyers on the illicit market,” court documents said.

The crimes took place between June 23, 2014, to October 1, 2016. The pair was joined by El-Nachef, an Orange County-based doctor, to carry out the scheme.

During this time, El-Nachef had become the top prescriber of HIV medications in California, prosecutors said. Through this scheme, the trio defrauded Medi-Cal of over $20 million. 

On June 27, Abrons was sentenced to four years in jail for his involvement. A restitution hearing will be held to determine the amount owed by Abrons. 

Fleming was previously sentenced to five years in state prison and El-Nachef was sentenced to a five-year local custody sentence and had also surrendered his medical license. 

“When healthcare operators take advantage of Medi-Cal for personal gain, not only are they stealing from taxpayers, but they are also undermining the health and trust of our communities,” said California Attorney General Rob Bonta. “We will not tolerate this unlawful behavior and will continue to ensure that Medi-Cal services are delivered to those who need them most and hold any individual or entity accountable that exploits this program.”