Miami Resident Convicted at Trial of Owning and Operating Fraudulent Community Retail Pharmacy

Following a two-week jury trial, on October 1, 2018, Nieves Suarez, 48, of Miami, Florida, was convicted of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and four substantive counts of health care fraud.

Ariana Fajardo Orshan, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Robert Lasky, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office and Shimon R. Richmond, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), made the announcement.

According to evidence presented at trial, Suarez owned and operated a fraudulent community retail pharmacy.  Suarez was the president, director, and registered agent of Golden Owl Pharmacy & Discount Corp., located at 1874 SW 57th Ave, Miami, Florida, from January 3, 2011, through November 30, 2012, and secretary from November 30, 2012 through March 10, 2015.  From November 2011 through August 2014, the Medicare Part D program reimbursed Golden Owl Pharmacy & Discount Corp approximately $1.6 million.  Although Golden Owl Pharmacy & Discount Corp did make some drug purchases, audits revealed shortages totaling $915,784.

Sentencing is scheduled for December 12, 2018, 10:00 a.m., before U.S. District Judge Marcia G. Cooke (Case No. 18-20175-CR).  Suarez faces up to twenty years in prison for the conspiracy charge and ten years in prison for each substantive health care fraud count of conviction.  

U.S. Attorney Fajardo Orshan commended the investigative efforts of the FBI and HHS-OIG in this matter.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Clark. 

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.