Attorney General's News Release

September 6, 2002

St. Louis pharmacist arrested after being indicted by grand jury on 12 felony counts alleging Medicaid fraud

St. Louis, Mo. — A St. Louis pharmacist was arrested today by St. Louis County police officers and charged with 12 felony counts alleging he fraudulently obtained payments from the Missouri Medicaid program. The charges against Bruce Greenwald (DOB - 5/6/57) were contained in an indictment returned by a St. Louis City grand jury at the request of Attorney General Jay Nixon.

Greenwald, who formerly owned and operated the Medicine Shoppe pharmacy at 101 N. Euclid in St. Louis, is charged with eight counts of making a false statement to receive a health care payment and four counts of stealing by deceit. The charges allege that, from March 2001 to March 2002, Greenwald misrepresented that he had dispensed various prescription drugs to patients in order to receive reimbursement from the Medicaid program.

Stealing by deceit is a class C felony under Missouri law, punishable by up to seven years in prison and a $5,000 fine on each count. Making a false statement to receive a health care payment is a class D felony under Missouri law, punishable by up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine on each count. As in all criminal cases, the charges are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent until or unless proven guilty in a court of law.

The case was investigated by the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Missouri Attorney General's Office. The unit has authority under state law to investigate and prosecute, both civilly and criminally, allegations of fraud against Missouri's Medicaid program.

Inquiries from consumers should be directed to consumer@ago.mo.gov or 1-800-392-8222 (from within Missouri) or 573-751-3321 (outside Missouri).

All media inquiries should be directed to Press Secretary John Fougere.

E-mail      Phone: 573-751-8844         Fax: 573-751-5818