Clarksville Physician Charged with Health Care Fraud Related to Controlled Substance Prescribing Scheme

NASHVILLE - Ramon Aquino, 77, of Clarksville, Tennessee, has been charged by Information with one count of health care fraud in connection with a multi-year scheme involving the prescribing of controlled substances without a legitimate medical purpose in the usual course of professional practice, announced Braden H. Boucek, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee.

According to the Information, Aquino owned and operated North Clarksville Medical Center and prescribed medically unnecessary controlled substances to patients for more than five years. During that period, Aquino issued prescriptions totaling more than 1.08 million pills and doses of controlled substances. The Information alleges that many of those prescriptions were not issued for a legitimate medical purpose in the usual course of professional practice.

The Information further alleges that Aquino prescribed excessive and inappropriate quantities and combinations of controlled substances, resulting in medically unnecessary prescriptions being issued to patients and contributing to patient abuse, misuse, and addiction. Aquino allegedly failed to adequately monitor his patients' use and abuse of prescribed controlled substances and continued to prescribe excessive and inappropriate amounts of those drugs even after receiving warnings regarding his prescribing practices.

According to the Information, Aquino's conduct caused losses of approximately $335,621.73 to health care benefit programs.

"Medical professionals occupy positions of extraordinary trust and responsibility," said U.S. Attorney Braden H. Boucek. "When that trust is abused through the unlawful prescribing of controlled substances, patients can suffer serious harm, addiction can flourish, and taxpayer-funded health care programs can be defrauded. Our office will continue working with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute those who contribute to prescription drug abuse and health care fraud."

This case is part of the Department of Justice's National Health Care Fraud Takedown, a coordinated nationwide law enforcement effort targeting health care fraud schemes that exploit patients, contribute to prescription drug abuse, and defraud federal health care programs.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.

Assistant United States Attorney Chris Suedekum is prosecuting the case.

Information is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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