First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that the United States has filed a civil lawsuit against G & A Somerton Pharmacy LLC (“Somerton”), its owner Polina Khodak, and its pharmacist-in-charge, Inessa Lerner, alleging that they violated the False Claims Act when they knowingly billed Medicare for over $1 million worth of prescription drugs that were never actually dispensed to beneficiaries, during the period January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2015. The United States has also entered into a Stipulated Order and Consent Judgment with Somerton, Khodak, and Lerner, subject to the Court’s approval, which would resolve the matter without litigation. If approved by the Court, the Judgment will require the defendants to pay nearly $1.3 million. Significantly, it will also require Somerton and Khodak to agree to a 10-year healthcare exclusion, which will prohibit her from receiving payments from any federally funded healthcare insurer such as Medicare. And it will require Lerner to enter into an integrity agreement, requiring her to undertake substantial compliance obligations.
