Dearborn Heights pharmacist gets 6+ years for health insurance fraud

A Dearborn Heights pharmacist was sentenced to more than six years in prison for defrauding health care insurers out of nearly $10 million with fake claims, federal officials said.

Mohamad Ali Makki, 46, received the sentence in federal court Thursday, U.S. Attorney Dawn Ison said in a statement.

U.S. District Judge Linda Parker ordered Makki to pay $9.8 million in restitution and ordered the forfeiture of more than $1 million seized from bank accounts controlled by Makki.

Investigators said Makki, who worked at Life Care Pharmacy in Farmington Hills, participated in a scheme to defraud Medicare, Medicaid and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan by submitting insurance claims for drugs the pharmacy did not actually purchase.

Makki was involved in the scheme from 2013 through 2019, they said.

Authorities also charged two others: Wansa Makki and Hossam Tanana. They said Wansa Makki is awaiting trial. Tanana, 57, pleaded guilty in November to laundering the money obtained from the scheme and is awaiting sentencing. 

cramirez@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @CharlesERamirez