Nick Piccone
Philadelphia Union television analyst Peter Pappas plead guilty to conspiracy to commit health fraud today. Via the AP:
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — A TV analyst for Major League Soccer’s Philadelphia Union pleaded guilty Tuesday to receiving nearly $500,000 in kickbacks for filling unneeded prescriptions for himself and recruiting others to the scheme.
Peter Pappas, of Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health fraud in federal court in Newark. The pharmaceutical salesman admitted he was recruited by a marketing company that was paid by pharmacies to refer people whose insurance paid for compounded medication including pain creams, scar creams and vitamins.
Pappas admitted that he recruited others to join the scheme, including people using a health benefit program for service members and their families managed by the U.S. Department of Defense. He admitted that he attempted to recruit beneficiaries from TRICARE because they gave high reimbursements for compounded medication and cream, federal prosecutors said.
Pappas could face up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He’s to be sentenced on October 25th. He has since deleted his Facebook and Twitter accounts.