Dr. Joe David “Jay” May is a convicted criminal. A federal jury slammed him with guilty verdicts on all 22 counts he faced – fraud, conspiracy, identity theft, you name it. The Alexander, Arkansas doctor wasn’t treating patients, he was running a brazen scheme to bilk TRICARE, the healthcare system for veterans and military families, out of millions.
The setup was sickeningly simple. May rubber-stamped prescriptions for expensive, compounded pain creams, knowing full well many recipients didn’t need them. He didn’t care about patient well-being; he cared about the kickbacks flooding his pockets. The feds say TRICARE shelled out over $12 million for these bogus prescriptions. May wasn’t working as a healer; he was an accessory to theft.
Evidence presented during the week-long trial painted a picture of a widespread operation. May didn’t act alone. Recruiters were paid to hunt down TRICARE beneficiaries, essentially preying on those who had served our country. These recruiters, and others involved, were motivated by cash – and May was the source. The scheme wasn’t about providing care; it was about lining pockets at the expense of those who deserve better.
The feds built a solid case, revealing May accepted straight-up cash bribes for his participation. There was no pretense of legitimate medical assessment. No patient consultations to determine actual need. Just a conveyor belt of prescriptions flowing to pharmacies, and money flowing back to May. A recruiter even hosted meetings to sign up patients for the drugs, further demonstrating the cynical and calculated nature of the fraud.
U.S. Attorney Jonathan D. Ross minced no words, calling May’s actions an “abuse of his medical license and a betrayal of his Hippocratic oath.” The FBI and HHS-OIG worked tirelessly on the investigation, and now May will face the consequences. He’ll be sentenced by United States District Judge Kristine Baker at a later date, facing potentially years in prison, hefty fines, and a permanent stain on his record. Aggravated identity theft charges could add even more time to his sentence.
This conviction sends a clear message: federal law enforcement isn’t backing down from prosecuting healthcare professionals who exploit the system for personal gain. It’s a warning to anyone thinking of following in May’s footsteps. The feds will continue to protect TRICARE and ensure those who serve our nation receive the care they deserve, not become targets for predatory schemes.
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