Dr. Rafael Prats, Pharmaceutical Fraud, Louisiana 2024

MIAMI, Florida resident Dr. Rafael Prats, 64, was sentenced to three years probation in Louisiana after pleading guilty to a twelve-count indictment charging conspiracy to commit theft of medical products, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

According to court documents, Dr. Prats, along with others, conspired to use Marea Distributors and Logistics, LLC, in Louisiana and Marea Distributors, LLC, in Florida to fraudulently re-sell diverted pharmaceuticals.

Beginning sometime prior to December 2012, the defendants would collect dispensed drugs of known and unknown origin, counterfeit drugs, expired drugs, and drugs not authorized for resale and then fraudulently reintroduce them into the pre-retail, wholesale market for eventual sale under false pretenses to pharmacies and end users.

Dr. Prats served as a broker in obtaining the diverted pharmaceuticals from various sources.

The defendants would create and scan fraudulent invoices and send them from Marea Distributors in Florida to Marea Distributors & Logistics in Louisiana by email.

During the course of the conspiracy, the defendants opened or caused to be opened bank accounts in the names of various entities, including Marea Distributors & Logistics and Marea Distributors.

U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans praised the work of the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Miami Dade Police Department in investigating this matter.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Theodore R. Carter, III and David Haller were in charge of the prosecution.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edla/pr/doctor-sentenced-pharmaceutical-fraud-case