Prosecutors announce charges as part of federal health care fraud takedown

Officials announced a coordinated health care fraud enforcement action across seven federal districts.

"If you put patients health at risk, put the welfare and integrity of a federal health care system at risk, we will find you, we will prosecute you," New Jersey United States Attorney Craig Carpenito said at a Thursday press conference.

One day after federal agents raided the home of Bensalem doctor Neil Anand and charged him and three others with allegedly running an opioid pill mill, the feds gathered to say 53 defendants—many of them doctors—had been arrested or prosecuted in eastern seaboard states, including Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

"These charges relate to schemes involving well over 800 million in provable fraud loss and the distribution of over three million controlled substance pills," Robert Zink with the U.S. Justine Department, said.

Along with Anand’s arrest, the Philadelphia area U.S. Attorney Willam McSwain revealed 60-year old Dr. Timothy Shawl, of Garnet Valley, Pa., has been charged with allegedly writing prescriptions for powerful meds for patients he never saw.

McSwain spoke of Philadelphia's drug crisis.

"We are very cognizant of stoping pills from getting on the streets. It’s not like we’re sitting back allowing things to happen we’re trying to step in as soon as we can," he said.