ST. LOUIS – The grim halls of justice have seen another shocking case unfold as Dr. David A. Parks, 66, and two staff members from Jefferson County, Missouri, faced an array of charges in U.S. District Court. Parks, along with James M. Bilderback, 58, and Michelle J. Scheer, 43, stand accused of a brazen conspiracy to illegally prescribe controlled substances and perpetrate health care fraud.
The trio is alleged to have conspired from July 6, 2016, through December 31, 2021, to prescribe drugs outside the standard medical practice for profit, with Parks and Bilderback additionally charged with defrauding Medicare, Missouri Medicaid, and private insurers. The indictment claims they bilked these entities by billing under Parks’ name when he was abroad.
Parks, who operated David A. Parks, M.D., P.C., at 3960 Lindell Boulevard in St. Louis, along with Bilderback, who served as clinical manager and research coordinator before tying the knot with Parks, are accused of forging signatures on pre-signed prescriptions to enable patients to obtain controlled substances without proper medical review. Scheer, the clinic’s front desk employee, is said to have used a cell phone to approve prescriptions for Schedule II drugs, altering dosages and types as needed.
According to the indictment, Parks was rarely seen at the clinic but still managed to bill for higher rates than his staff members, even when they performed services. Scheer and others were instructed not to drug-test patients to avoid detection of abuse or diversion. Friends and family received “special treatment” with ease.
The investigation into this case comes as the nation battles the opioid crisis, with Special Agent in Charge Linda T. Hanley of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reaffirming the agency’s commitment to rooting out such fraudulent schemes.
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Key Facts
- State: Missouri
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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