By ARRIYONNA ALLEN
Two pharmacy owners from West Kentucky have been arrested and charged with criminal health care fraud totaling more than $1 million. Michael Shawn Boaz, the owner of Clinton Pharmacy in Hickman County, Kentucky, was arrested on Wednesday by U.S. marshals and jailed in the McCracken County Jail. Boaz, who is also a partial owner of Bardwell Pharmacy in Carlisle County, faces multiple charges related to health care fraud.
Boaz and his co-defendant, Christopher Augustus, the other owner of Bardwell Pharmacy, have been indicted on federal charges related to fraudulent billing practices. According to court documents, the two men allegedly billed health care benefit programs for prescriptions that were never ordered between June 2017 and September 2021. The total amount billed exceeded $1 million.
Boaz faces 11 counts of health care fraud, while Augustus is charged with 14 counts. Both men are also facing a count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, as well as one count of aggravated identity theft. They are accused of using a physician’s and nurse practitioner’s name without authorization to submit fraudulent claims.
If convicted, Boaz and Augustus could face significant legal and financial consequences, including the forfeiture of any property obtained from the fraudulent activities and restitution to any victims affected by the scheme.