Gulfport, MS – A shocking tale of greed and deceit has unfolded in the Gulf Coast, as a Louisiana man pleaded guilty to conspiring to pay illegal health care kickbacks and defraud the United States. Thomas ‘Tommy’ Wilburn Shoemaker, 57, of Monroe, Louisiana, faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for his role in a multi-million dollar scheme.
According to court documents, Shoemaker acted as a marketer for World Health Industries, Inc. (WHI), a pharmacy specializing in compounded medications. He allowed WHI to use his TRICARE insurance to adjust prescription formulas for the highest reimbursement, regardless of efficacy. Shoemaker also recruited doctors to procure prescriptions for high-margin compounded medications.
The defendant admitted to obtaining numerous fraudulent prescriptions using the personal information of military acquaintances. Through his company, he received over $300,000 in commissions for the prescriptions reimbursed by TRICARE, and in total, he received at least $672,538.19 in proceeds derived directly from the fraud scheme.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service are investigating the case. Trial Attorneys Emily Cohen and Alejandra Arias of the DOJ Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, along with Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathlyn Van Buskirk of the Southern District of Mississippi, are prosecuting the case.
Shoemaker is scheduled to be sentenced on November 30, 2021. A federal district judge will determine his sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Grimy Times will continue to monitor this case and provide updates as more information becomes available.
Related Federal Cases
- Tom McCardell Guilty in $6.7M Medicare Kickback Scheme · Alabama
- Maggie Kay Comeaux, Prison Bribery Scheme, Alexandria LA, 2023 · Louisiana
- TX Woman Pleads Guilty to Ricin Letter Scheme · Louisiana
- Jeffrey M. DeSalvo Charged in Coast Guard Fraud Scheme · Louisiana
- Mississippi Couple Pleads Guilty in $1.7M TRICARE Kickback Scam · Louisiana
Key Facts
- State: Mississippi
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
US NewsUS NewsUS NewsUS News