Six Individuals, Including Pharmacist and Doctor, Charged in $20 Million Healthcare Fraud and Kickback Scheme

Six defendants, including a pharmacist, a doctor, and several other medical professionals, have been charged in connection with an alleged $20 million scheme to defraud Medicare and Medicaid through illegal kickbacks and medically unnecessary prescriptions. The charges, announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, stem from a conspiracy that operated from October 2022 to November 2025.

According to court documents, Sherif Elmasri, a pharmacy owner, allegedly paid illegal kickbacks and bribes to healthcare providers in exchange for issuing prescriptions for high-reimbursement medications that Elmasri personally selected. Among those providers was Dr. Boris Veysman, an emergency medicine physician who, at times, issued prescriptions without examining patients.

Two advanced practice nurses who worked for Veysman—Ashlee Maixner and Nikki Steidle—are also alleged to have received kickbacks from Elmasri for issuing prescriptions. A fourth employee, Stephanie Cupo, allegedly submitted prior authorizations containing false information to increase the likelihood of Medicare approval. In a separate component of the scheme, Janet Tadros, an office manager at a neurology practice, allegedly solicited and received approximately $3,000 per week in cash kickbacks for sending medically unnecessary prescriptions to Elmasri’s pharmacies—some written without the knowledge or authorization of the prescribing provider. In total, the defendants are alleged to have caused approximately $20.7 million in losses to Medicare and Medicaid. Veysman, Steidle, and Maixner face additional charges for allegedly conspiring to unlawfully distribute controlled substances without properly assessing patients.

All six defendants have been charged in the District of New Jersey and have either pleaded guilty or appeared in federal court. This case reflects the government’s aggressive pursuit of healthcare fraud, particularly schemes where medical professionals prioritize illegal kickbacks over patient welfare and taxpayer dollars. The investigation was conducted by the FBI, the HHS Office of Inspector General, and the DEA.