Additional Information for Assured RX LLC

The following describes a pending government action that has been formally brought by a government agency but has not yet been resolved. We are providing a summary of the government's allegations, which have not yet been proven.

On September 4th, 2018, The State of Connecticut sued Assured Rx under the Connecticut False Claims Act, Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 4-274 -- 4-289.

State of Connecticut alleged that beginning at least as early as June 13, 2014, and continuing through at least September 8, 2015, Defendants caused the State of Connecticut Pharmacy Benefit Plan ("CT Pharmacy Benefit Plan") to be billed falsely for prescription compound drug products that were dispensed to CT Pharmacy Benefit Plan members and their eligible family members in connection with a kickback scheme in which the defendants paid or received kickbacks as pleaded in more detail. This action seeks treble damages, civil penalties, and other relief for Defendants' illegal conduct.

During the time period relevant to this complaint, the state alleges that fraudulent payments through the illegal scheme cost the Pharmacy Benefit Plan $394,403 for prescriptions for Nicholas Maulucci and $442,477 for prescriptions for Lisette Maulucci. The Mauluccis and NLM allegedly received a total of $2,655,958 in compensation for their role in the scheme. The Mauluccis in turn used a portion of those funds to pay kickbacks to the other individuals they recruited into the scheme.

Assured Rx, Nicholas Maulucci, Lisette Maulucci and NLM LLC are named as defendants in this litigation. The additional defendants named in the lawsuit are:

Carol Boardman-Scruse, of Bloomfield, Conn., an employee of the state Department of Developmental Services, is alleged to have cost the Pharmacy Benefit Plan a total of $317,791 in prescriptions for herself and a family member, and was allegedly paid $27,500 for her role in the scheme.

Ricardo Collazo, of Bloomfield, Conn., a retiree of the state Department of Correction, is alleged to have cost the Pharmacy Benefit Plan a total of $615,366 in prescriptions for himself and a family member, and was allegedly paid $24,600 for his role in the scheme.

James Corcoran, of Wethersfield, Conn., a retiree of the state Department of Correction, is alleged to have cost the Pharmacy Benefit Plan a total of $231,850 in prescriptions for himself, and was allegedly paid $12,000 for his role in the scheme.

Benjamin Franco, of East Haven, Conn., a retiree of the state Department of Correction, and his spouse, Jill Franco, are alleged to have cost the Pharmacy Benefit Plan a total of $524,542 in prescriptions for themselves and a family member, and Jill Franco was allegedly paid $27,700 for their role in the scheme.

Paul Germano, of Berlin, Conn., a retiree of the state Department of Correction, is alleged to have cost the Pharmacy Benefit Plan a total of $241,437 in prescriptions for himself and family members, and was allegedly paid $19,000 for his role in the scheme.

Edward Heller, of Enfield, Conn., a retiree of the state Department of Correction, is alleged to have cost the Pharmacy Benefit Plan a total of $282,229 in prescriptions for himself and a family member, and was allegedly paid $17,500 for his role in the scheme.

Joseph Heller, of Enfield, Conn., a retiree of the state Department of Correction, is alleged to have cost the Pharmacy Benefit Plan a total of $377,345 in prescriptions for himself and family members, and was allegedly paid $15,500 for his role in the scheme.

Francis Mancini, of Southwick, Mass., a retiree of the state Department of Correction, and his spouse, Sarah Mancini, are alleged to have cost the Pharmacy Benefit Plan a total of $ 525,307 in prescriptions for themselves, and were allegedly paid a total of $47,400 for their role in the scheme.

Todd Sokolowski, of Stafford Springs, Conn., a retiree of the state Department of Correction, is alleged to have cost the Pharmacy Benefit Plan a total of $380,304 in prescriptions for himself and a family member, and was allegedly paid $16,900 for his role in the scheme.

Todd Vining, of Enfield, Conn., a retiree of the state Department of Correction, is alleged to have cost the Pharmacy Benefit Plan a total of $561,643 in prescriptions for himself and a family member, and was allegedly paid $17,800 for his role in the scheme.

Joyce Wright, of East Longmeadow, Mass., a retiree of the state Department of Correction, is alleged to have cost the Pharmacy Benefit Plan a total of $270,578 in prescriptions for herself, and was allegedly paid $14,000 for her role in the scheme.

Additionally, Nicholas and Lisette Maulucci and their company, NLM, allegedly used other marketers who are not named as defendants who also arranged for prescriptions of Assured Rx compound prescription drugs for themselves as well as for certain covered family members and others. The state alleges that these marketers are alleged to have cost the Pharmacy Benefit Plan a total of $5,745,773 in prescriptions and were allegedly paid $230,764 for their roles in the scheme. Legal action against these or other culpable individuals is possible as the state's investigation proceeds.

Assistant Attorneys General Karla Turekian and Rachel Davis, Legal Investigator Thomas Martin, and Assistant Attorney General Michael Cole, chief of the Antitrust and Government Program Fraud Department, are assisting the Attorney General with this matter.

Anyone with knowledge of suspected fraud or abuse in the public healthcare system is asked to contact the Attorney General's Antitrust and Government Program Fraud Department at 860-808-5040 or by email at ag.fraud@ct.gov; the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit in the Office of the Chief State's Attorney at 860-258-5986 or by email at conndcj@ct.gov; or the Department of Social Services fraud reporting hotline at 1-800-842-2155, online at www.ct.gov/dss/reportingfraud, or by email to providerfraud.dss@ct.gov.

For more information on efforts to address fraud in state programs, please visit www.ct.gov/fightfraud.