ALEXANDRIA, VA—Hamada Makarita, 50, of Oakton, Virginia, has been charged in a 15-count indictment of using his position as a dentist to illegally distribute prescription pills to patients, employees, and women he dated. He was also charged with allegedly using the identity of another dentist to fraudulently bill an insurance company of more than $160,000 in claims.
Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and James W. McJunkin, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement.
Makarita was charged with conspiracy, health care fraud, aggravated identity theft, and 12 counts of dispensing controlled substances. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on the health care fraud charge, 20 years in prison for conspiracy on each dispensing controlled substances charge, and a consecutive two-year sentence for the aggravated identity theft charge.
According to the indictment, Makarita owns and operates a dental practice in Oakton, Virginia and advertised online at www.fixasmile.com. The indictment alleges that from about 2007 to 2012, Makarita distributed and dispensed thousands of dosages of prescription medicine to patients, employees, and girlfriends, all without a legitimate dental purpose and beyond the bounds of a dental practice. Makarita allegedly asked those who received the prescriptions he issued to return to him some or all the prescribed medicine. On numerous occasions, Makarita would distribute prescription pills to patients and girlfriends in social settings and for prurient purposes, including for consensual and non-consensual sex.
In addition, the indictment alleges that Makarita provided more than $160,000 in services to his family members and billed them to an insurance provider in violation of the provider’s contract. He allegedly billed the services under the name of another dentist who did not practice in Makarita’s office at that time. Makarita received more than $91,000 in reimbursement from the provider for these fraudulent claims.
***********************************************************************
Report Medicare & Medicaid Fraud by Calling 1-888-482-6825 or by visiting
www.usawhistleblower.com
