A South Florida doctor is accused of taking cash to prescribe unnecessary pain pills and billing taxpayers for sham medical consultations.
Dr. Andres Mencia, 64, of Fort Lauderdale, was arrested last week and released on a $500,000 bond. While the case is pending, he must wear an electronic monitor and adhere to an 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew.
Federal prosecutors are seeking forfeiture of at least $3.3 million they said was involved in the fraud, as well as two homes — in Fort Lauderdale and Delray Beach — they say Mencia used some of the money to purchase.
Mencia prescribed more than 1.2 million dosage units of opioid drugs to his patients between January 2015 and August 2017, investigators said.
Mencia primarily practiced at AGI Medical & Dental at 1608 E. Commercial Boulevard, Oakland Park. Investigators said it operated as a pill mill.
The practice’s website, which was not functioning Monday, billed itself as a “one-stop-shop for all of your medical and dental needs,” investigators said.
Many of the prescriptions were filled at Imperial Point Pharmacy, 6401 N. Federal Highway in Fort Lauderdale, according to court records.
The prescribed pills included oxycodone, investigators said.
Mencia has not yet indicated if he will fight the allegations of health-care and wire fraud conspiracy, illegally dispensing a controlled substance and money laundering. If convicted, he faces maximum punishments of 20 years in prison on the most serious charges.
Also indicted on fraud and drug charges were three members of the doctor’s office staff: Oscar Luis Ventura-Rodriguez, 41, of Fort Lauderdale; Nadira Sampath-Grant, 51, of Margate; and John Mensah, 50, of Miami. All three have pleaded not guilty and were released on bond. If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
Between January 2015 and late last year, the four suspects were involved in a conspiracy to perform fake consultations with patients to issue unneeded prescriptions for opioids and other drugs in exchange for cash payments, according to the charges. Medicare and Medicaid were improperly billed for many of the medical visits.
“All are accused of prescribing high amounts of opioids and other addictive drugs for no legitimate reason to patients seeking pills,” according to the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Mencia used some of the money to make partial payments for homes in the 4700 block of Northeast 23rd Avenue in Fort Lauderdale and the 16500 block of Bridlewood Circle in Delray Beach, according to court records.
Investigators said Mencia surrendered his Florida medical license and his DEA license to prescribe drugs after his arrest.
Mencia has no prior record of medical discipline in Florida, according to public records.
pmcmahon@sunsentinel.com, 954-356-4533 or Twitter @SentinelPaula