Jawed Ali Khan Sherwani, Controlled Substances Act Violations, West Virginia 2020

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jawed Ali Khan Sherwani, the owner of Beckley Pharmacy and Bee Well Pharmacy, has agreed to pay $300,000 in civil monetary penalties to resolve allegations that the pharmacies violated the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) by filling illegitimate prescriptions.

According to the investigation, from on or about March 1, 2015 to in or about March 2020, both Beckley Pharmacy locations and Bee Well Pharmacy violated the CSA by filling prescriptions the pharmacies knew or should have known were not issued for a legitimate medical purpose. Bee Well Pharmacy also agreed to surrender its Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) registration which will result in the pharmacy being unable to fill prescriptions for controlled substances.

As part of the settlement, Beckley Pharmacy has entered into a Memorandum of Agreement with DEA which imposes heightened regulatory and reporting obligations but will allow both Beckley Pharmacy locations to retain their respective DEA registrations. The CSA prohibits the distribution or dispensing of a controlled substance without a valid prescription. A valid prescription for a controlled substance must be issued for a legitimate medical purpose by an individual practitioner acting in the usual course of his or her practice.

Based on the investigation, the United States maintains that the pharmacists at the Beckley Pharmacy locations and Bee Well Pharmacy knew or had reason to know that patients had presented illegitimate prescriptions that should not have been filled.

“There has been a tremendous amount of damage caused by prescription drug abuse in the Southern District of West Virginia,” said Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston. “In response, we have made it a priority to target different components of the opioid supply chain for their contributing roles to the crisis. Pharmacies must keep accurate records and maintain strong controls when handling controlled substances. Those that fail to do so open the door to the potential diversion of drugs, the illegal distribution, and abuse of these drugs.”

The settlement is a result of the United States Attorney’s Healthcare Fraud Abuse, Recovery and Response Team (ARREST), an innovative approach linking civil and criminal enforcement efforts together in a comprehensive attack on the opioid epidemic and healthcare fraud.

Defendant/Respondent: Jawed Ali Khan Sherwani

Crime: Controlled Substances Act Violations

City and State: Charleston, West Virginia

Exact Date: From on or about March 1, 2015 to in or about March 2020

Sentence or Outcome: Paid $300,000 in civil monetary penalties

Dollar Amount: $300,000

Beckley Pharmacy has two locations in the Beckley, West Virginia area. Bee Well Pharmacy is located in South Charleston, West Virginia.

The settlement does not preclude future prosecution or administrative action against Sherwani or the pharmacies. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia and the DEA will continue to work together to address the opioid epidemic and combat healthcare fraud.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdwv/pr/owner-two-pharmacies-pays-300000-resolve-controlled-substances-act-violations-1