Five doctors at area opioid treatment clinics face drug charges
Five physicians face federal charges over prescriptions they issued while working for a company that operates several addiction-treatment clinics in the region, including one in Bridgeville.
The Department of Justice announced indictments May 3 accusing the doctors of issuing unlawful prescriptions for buprenorphine – an opioid which is used to treat addiction to other opioids and sold under the brand names Subutex and Suboxone – in their role as contractors for Redirections Treatment Advocates LLC.
The physicians reportedly worked as contractors at many of the same locations where federal agents executed search warrants in Pennsylvania and West Virginia – including Redirections’ clinic in Washington’s West Chestnut Place complex and the company’s former location on Washington Avenue in Bridgeville – in January.
Prosecutors claim the doctors also had a role in an alleged scheme involving submitting fraudulent claims to Medicaid and Medicare for the prescriptions.
Dr. Madhu Aggarwal, 67, of Moon reportedly worked at the Bridgeville location.
Justice officials identified Dr. Michael Bummer, 38, of Sewickley as his counterpart at the one in Washington.
The others – Dr. Parth Bharill, 69, of Pittsburgh; Dr. Cherian John, 65, of Coraopolis; and Dr. Krishnan Kumar Aggarwal, 73, of Moon – are listed as being associated with locations in the West Virginia towns of Weirton and Morgantown.
The doctors are charged by indictment with unlawfully dispensing controlled substances, health care fraud and conspiracy.
Redirections’ manager, Christopher Handa, 47, of Pittsburgh, was indicted in March on similar charges.