Cleveland Doctor Sentenced For Defrauding Medicare

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – On Apr. 2, 2015, Dr. Raymond Sean Brown, 44, of McDonald, Tenn., was sentenced serve 28 months in prison by the Honorable Curtis L. Collier.  In November 2014, Brown pleaded guilty to an information charging him with the use of misbranded drugs with the intent to defraud.

Brown was also ordered to forfeit $6.765 million U.S. currency seized from his bank accounts in December 2012 and pay an additional $717,000.  Upon his release from prison, he will serve one year of supervised release.

The plea agreement on file with the U.S. District Court states that from May 2008 until December 2012, Brown fraudulently billed Medicare for Botox injections he did not give.  During that time period, he received $7,482,968 in reimbursement from Medicare for Botox injections.  According to the plea agreement, between 2008 and 2012, Brown did not purchase any FDA approved Botox and only 254 vials of non-FDA approved Botox, but billed Medicare for 17,766 vials.  By pleading guilty, Brown admitted that he received the Botox in interstate commerce for delivery for pay which was misbranded and that he acted with intent to defraud or mislead.

“For medical care, patients rely on the honesty and integrity of their doctor.  This defendant not only did not inject the drugs needed by the patients, but also fraudulently billed the Medicare system, which is funded by the taxpayers. This sentence and the additional financial penalties will deter other medical providers from actions such as were exhibited in this case,” said U.S. Attorney Bill Killian.

This investigation was conducted by agents with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration- Office of Criminal Investigation and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services- Office of Inspector General.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Terra L. Bay represented the United States.

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