Dr. Anthony Baldizzi, 54, of Largo, Florida, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy and receiving illegal kickbacks tied to a sprawling $5.3 million fraud scheme that exploited TRICARE, the federal health care program for military families. The Pinellas County physician admitted to trading prescriptions for cash, luxury cars, and guaranteed payouts — all in exchange for pushing wildly expensive compounded creams to unsuspecting patients.
From May 2014 onward, Baldizzi entered a criminal agreement with Lifecare Pharmacy in Pinellas County and Centurion Compounding, Inc., a Pasco-based marketing firm. In return for writing prescriptions for compounded pain and scar creams — some priced between $900 and $21,000 per month — Baldizzi collected 10 percent of every paid claim when those prescriptions were filled at Lifecare. Most of the costs were passed directly to TRICARE, bleeding taxpayer-funded benefits to line his pockets.
The scheme went beyond his office walls. At the direction of Centurion’s principals, Baldizzi ran ‘pop up’ clinics in hotels and retail spaces across the region, seeing a high volume of patients recruited by Centurion solely to be funneled into the prescription mill. These patients, often unaware of the true cost or medical necessity, became pawns in a profit-driven pipeline that prioritized kickbacks over care.
Lifecare Pharmacy cashed in hard — collecting approximately $5.3 million from TRICARE as a direct result of Baldizzi’s prescriptions. In return, Baldizzi didn’t just pocket cash: the conspirators bought him a $72,000 luxury vehicle and delivered regular payments, all to ensure the prescription spigot stayed wide open. Every refill was another payday, every patient another dollar sign.
Baldizzi now faces a maximum of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not been set. He’s not the only one falling: co-conspirators Carlos Mazariegos and Benjamin Nundy, pharmacists who owned and operated Lifecare Pharmacy, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and are scheduled for sentencing in June 2018. Federal investigators say the probe is still active, with more fallout expected.
This case was cracked open by a joint task force including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It’s being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Mandy Riedel and Megan Kistler — sending a clear message: when doctors turn clinics into cash machines, the feds will come knocking.
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Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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