Florida, Miami resident Armando Herrera, aged 43, was recently convicted in a case involving the illegal distribution of contaminated HIV medications, resulting in a multi-state operation valued at approximately $16.7 million.
Herrera, who had previously admitted his guilt on September 25, now faces a sentence of four years and three months in prison for his involvement in the illicit scheme.
The operation orchestrated by Herrera and his accomplices spanned multiple states, establishing networks of companies in Florida, Washington, California, and Texas. These companies were involved in the sale and distribution of adulterated HIV medications and other prescription drugs to wholesale pharmaceutical companies supplying clinics, hospitals, and retail pharmacies, as detailed in court documents.
The U.S. Department of Justice announced that federal agents, as part of their investigation, seized over $1.5 million worth of adulterated prescription drugs from Herrera’s possession, including more than 16,000 tablets of adulterated and misbranded HIV medication.
The case was jointly investigated by multiple agencies, including Homeland Security, the FDIC’s Office of the Inspector General, and the FBI, emphasizing the severity and scale of the fraudulent activities.
Herrera and his co-conspirators faced allegations of fabricating false documentation to sell the drugs to wholesalers, which included tampering with and mislabeling over 16,000 tablets of Truvada (an HIV medication), approximately 3,600 tablets of Biktarvy (another HIV medication), and 7,340 tablets of other diverted drugs deemed adulterated and misbranded.
Court documents revealed that these adulterated drugs were subsequently sold by wholesalers to pharmacies, ultimately reaching patients who unknowingly received tainted medications as part of their prescribed treatments.
Notably, Herrera was among 14 defendants charged earlier in June this year as part of a larger healthcare fraud scheme totaling $1.9 billion. The Justice Department led the initiative, known as the 2023 National Health Care Fraud Enforcement Action, marking a significant crackdown on fraudulent activities within the healthcare industry.
This conviction underscores the Justice Department’s commitment to combating healthcare fraud, particularly in cases where individuals exploit the system, risking public health and safety for financial gain.
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