Samrat Mukherjee, 35, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, pleaded guilty to making false statements related to healthcare matters, U.S. Attorney April M. Leon announced. Mukherjee, a licensed paramedic employed by Acadian Ambulance Service, Inc., admitted to falsely posing as a medical doctor and using this deception to unlawfully access physician privileges at several hospitals and to write prescriptions.
Mukherjee’s conviction is punishable by up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater, and three years of supervised release.
According to admissions made during his guilty plea, Mukherjee, despite never attending or graduating from medical school, falsely presented himself to co-workers and others as a licensed physician. To support his deception, Mukherjee fabricated a medical degree, a fake residency match letter, and even attended a celebration for a medical school graduation he never attended. He used these fraudulent documents and actions to mislead others into believing he was a doctor.
By falsely claiming to be a licensed medical professional, Mukherjee was granted physician access at multiple hospitals, where he spent time in critical care units and other medical areas, interacting with patients. He wore “M.D.” and “Flight Surgeon” insignia on his clothing and was given hospital badges and credentials identifying him as a physician.
From May 2019 through November 2022, Mukherjee continued his fraudulent activities by calling in prescriptions to pharmacies, using the names of two different doctors. He falsely claimed to have the authority to write prescriptions and submitted fraudulent claims to health care benefit programs, including Medicaid and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana (BCBSLA), for reimbursement.
One notable incident occurred in October 2022, when Mukherjee wrote a prescription for Ondansetron-ODT, a drug used by cancer patients, for a patient undergoing cancer treatment. Mukherjee forged a doctor’s signature on the prescription, despite lacking the medical qualifications to issue such a prescription. He did not consult the patient’s oncologist and had no authority to prescribe the medication.
“This case highlights the dangers of fraud in healthcare, where deception can put patients at risk and burden healthcare programs with improper claims,” said Acting U.S. Attorney April M. Leon. “Mukherjee’s actions were both unethical and unlawful, and this conviction sends a strong message that we will hold individuals accountable for committing health care fraud.”
The investigation into Mukherjee’s actions was conducted by the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen L. Craig, Trial Attorney Samantha E. Usher, and Assistant Chief Justin M. Woodard.
Mukherjee will be sentenced at a later date, and further legal proceedings will follow.
