Arrests for fraudulent prescriptions at the expense of EOPYY – Doctors & pharmacists arrested, €3.5 million in damages

Two criminal organizations involved in serious fraud against EOPYY were dismantled through fraudulent prescription of pharmaceutical products. The total damage to the organization exceeds €3,500,000.

Notably, among the falsely prescribed medications were narcotics and other psychotropic substances, some of which are in shortage both in Greece and internationally.

A total of 17 people were arrested (14 Greeks and three foreign nationals), including doctors, pharmacists, and a medical representative.

Authorities seized more than 9,000 pharmaceutical products and over €450,000 in cash.

Detailed Announcement by the Police:

“From the Financial Police Directorate, two separate criminal organizations were dismantled, whose members were involved in committing serious fraud against the National Organization for the Provision of Health Services (E.O.P.Y.Y.) through the fraudulent prescription of pharmaceutical products.

A lengthy investigation preceded this, which confirmed the structure and activity of the organizations. Following a large-scale operation carried out on Friday, September 13, 2024, a total of 16 members were arrested.

These include four doctors from public health facilities in Attica and Boeotia, the owners and employees of eight pharmacies in Attica, a medical representative from a pharmaceutical production company, and one individual acting as an intermediary.

The illegal activities of the criminal organizations began at least in January 2020, and it was found that they shared similar goals, methods of operation, and, in some cases, common members working simultaneously.

Specifically, it was revealed that members of the two organizations, operating continuously with distinct roles, systematically issued fraudulent prescriptions through their doctor-members using Social Security Numbers (A.M.K.A.), primarily of foreign individuals.

These individuals had either left the country, were incarcerated in detention centers, or were housed in various facilities, making them unable to detect the false prescriptions. To maximize their profits, the members also used the A.M.K.A. of uninsured individuals, as their contribution to E.O.P.Y.Y. costs was zero.

Subsequently, through the companies/pharmacies of their members, they carried out fake executions of these prescriptions, signing execution documents on behalf of the insured and forging their signatures. The illegal prescription medications were then sold through pharmacies and doctors to customers both in Greece and abroad.

The illegal profits from their activities were either mixed with legitimate income through the issuance of false retail receipts or stored in bank safety deposit boxes.

Among the falsely prescribed medications were narcotics and other psychotropic substances, some of which are in short supply both in Greece and internationally.

So far, it has been established that 3,516 A.M.K.A.s were illegally used, resulting in the fraudulent issuance of 90,186 prescriptions, causing E.O.P.Y.Y. a total loss exceeding €3,500,284.98.

Additionally, the investigation uncovered the illegal activities of a pharmacy warehouse owner, who was circulating pharmaceutical products that could endanger public health, some of which were supplied by the pharmacies connected to the criminal organizations.

A case was filed against all arrested individuals for various offenses, including forming and joining a criminal organization, repeated forgery with use, repeated false certification against the Greek State and Public Entities causing losses exceeding €120,000, fraud committed jointly, repeatedly, and professionally against the Greek State and Public Entities with total benefits and corresponding damages exceeding €120,000, unauthorized access and use of personal data systems, money laundering from criminal activities, drug trafficking, and the sale of harmful pharmaceuticals.

Searches conducted in homes, storage facilities, medical offices, pharmacies, public health facilities, and bank safety deposit boxes resulted in the seizure of:

• Over 9,000 packages of illegally prescribed pharmaceutical products, including drugs containing narcotic substances,
• €451,140, $10,000 USD, $8,000 AUD,
• Two gold bars weighing a total of 1 kg, 109 gold coins,
• Numerous documents (handwritten notes with doctor payments, doctor stamps, prescriptions/reports, etc.),
• Mobile phones, computers, and other digital evidence.

The arrested individuals were brought before the competent prosecuting authority and referred for further interrogation.”

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