NEWARK, N.J. — Thomas Conzo, 49, a Staten Island resident, pleaded guilty on July 16 in federal court to orchestrating a health care fraud scheme involving false prescription claims submitted to Medicare and Medicaid through his pharmacy in Linden, New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Conzo admitted to one count of health care fraud before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp in Trenton. He owned and operated Elite Pharmacy, a specialty pharmacy in Linden, which submitted fraudulent prescription claims totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars between August 2022 and March 2023.
According to prosecutors, Conzo used the credentials of pharmacists who were neither employed by Elite Pharmacy nor involved in authorizing prescriptions. These false claims were submitted to federal health care programs including Medicare and Medicaid.
Conzo faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the fraud, whichever is greater. Sentencing is scheduled for December 4, 2025.
The investigation involved the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney George Brandley is prosecuting the case through the Health Care Fraud and Opioids Enforcement Unit.
