Calabasas pharmacist convicted of Medi-Cal fraud

CALABASAS, Calif - A pharmacist from Calabasas faces sentencing in February for her role in a health care fraud and prescription drug diversion scheme involving two drug stores.

Irina Sadovsky, 53, the former owner and pharmacist-in-charge of two Van Nuys pharmacies, was convicted Friday in downtown Los Angeles of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and conspiracy to engage in the unlicensed wholesale distribution of prescription drugs, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Sadovsky submitted claims to Medi-Cal and Medicare for prescription drugs that were never dispensed to beneficiaries but rather were provided to co- conspirators to sell on the black market.

SUGGESTED: 16 arrests made for EBT fraud: LAPD

Her co-conspirators created fraudulent prescriptions, either by writing the prescriptions themselves or by paying kickbacks to marketers with access to patients and prescribers. Sadovsky recommended the combinations of prescription drugs to be written, checked the eligibility of the patients for reimbursement, and fraudulently submitted claims to Medi-Cal and Medicare.

Sadovsky is scheduled to be sentenced in Los Angeles federal court on Feb. 3, at which time she will face a penalty of up to 15 years in prison, prosecutors noted.