A federal jury convicted a Pennsylvania man and woman today for a scheme to pay and receive kickbacks in exchange for the referral of prescription medications.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Steven J. Valentino, 65, of Haverford, and Michele Miller, 53, of Swarthmore, a doctor and his office manager, respectively, participated in an incentivized prescribing scheme involving injured federal workers and Medicare beneficiaries. Valentino and Miller received kickbacks for referring, ordering, and arranging for medications – including expensive compound medications – to be filled by a Houston pharmacy. Between May 2013 and July 2017, the pharmacy billed the Department of Labor Office of Workers’ Compensation Program (DOL-OWCP) and Medicare approximately $2.5 million and was paid approximately $1.1 million for prescriptions referred, ordered, and arranged by Valentino and Miller in exchange for illegal health care kickbacks.

Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Syreeta Scott of the Department of Labor Office of the Inspector General (DOL-OIG) Philadelphia Regional Office; Special Agent in Charge Jeff Krafels of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG) Mid Atlantic Area Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Maureen Dixon of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Philadelphia Region made the announcement.

DOL-OIG, USPS-OIG, and HHS-OIG investigated the case.