MI: Bingham Farms Physician Convicted of Drug and Health Care Fraud Charges

Healthcare Facility Rx Drug Diversion – Pill-Mill Operation

Bingham Farms physician David Jankowski, 62, was convicted today by a federal jury in Detroit on thirty charges related to the unlawful distribution of Schedule II, III and IV controlled substances and health care fraud, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.

Joining Ison in the announcement were James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Mario Pinto, Special Agent-In-Charge, United States Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General.

The trial began on May 10, 2022,held before United States District Judge Bernard A. Friedman in Detroit. Jankowski will be sentenced on November 15, 2022, at 1:30 pm.

The charges on which he was convicted stemmed from Jankowski’s operation of Summit Medical Group, a purported medical clinic formerly located in Dearborn Heights and Southfield, MI. According to the evidence presented at trial, Dr. Jankowski wrote medically unnecessary prescriptions for controlled substances such as Oxycontin, Oxycodone, morphine, hydrocodone, and Xanax. He also prescribed controlled substances after receiving cash from patient recruiters who brought patients to his practice. The evidence demonstrated that Jankowski issued or authorized the issuance of more than 1.7 million Schedule II controlled substances to individuals outside the course of professional medical practice and for no legitimate medical purpose in exchange for compensation. As part of this scheme, Dr. Jankowski also issued or authorized the issuance more than 800,000 Schedule III controlled substances and more than 870,00 Schedule IV controlled substances. The evidence also showed that Jankowski used his access to controlled substances to lure patients into his health care fraud scheme. Patients were attracted to his practice by the easy access to controlled substances. Many of these patients had no need for the drugs. Instead, the controlled substances were sold on the streets to feed the addictions of opioid addicts. Trial testimony and exhibits showed that Jankowski then submitted false and fraudulent insurance claims asserting that he had provided necessary treatment to these patients. The claims were submitted to Michigan auto insurance companies, private health care insurers, Medicare and Medicaid. Based upon these fraudulent claims, Dr. Jankowski received more than $29.3 million from the auto and private insurance companies and more than $6 million from Medicare and Medicaid.

Dr. Jankowski was convicted of thirty of the thirty-two counts with which he was charged and faces a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison.

“The improper distribution of prescription drugs outside the course of ordinary medical practice causes significant harm. It is in everyone’s best interests to keep these highly addictive substances off the street, and it is particularly disturbing when a trusted physician is the vehicle for the illegal distribution of opioids,” stated U.S. Attorney Ison. “My office is dedicated to stemming the tide of opioid addiction and the resulting consequences to families in the Eastern District. Law enforcement investigators are aggressively investigating health care fraud and detecting abuses by doctors, and we hope that prosecutions like this one will deter medical professionals from illegally distributing controlled substances and stealing taxpayer funds.”

“This defendant exploited vulnerable patients and the health care system by prescribing and billing for medically unnecessary prescription medications. By doing so, he violated his oath to do no harm, and defrauded health care insurance programs. This type of crime puts patients at risk and makes medical care more costly for all of us,” said James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office. “Thanks to the diligent work of the FBI and our law enforcement partners, we are able to address this important aspect of health care fraud and continue our mission of bringing those who operate these criminal schemes to justice.”

“Doctors and other medical providers engaged in the overprescribing of opioids for profit places patients at risk and underscores the significance of this investigation,” said Special Agent in Charge Mario M. Pinto of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “In conjunction with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to work to protect beneficiaries and investigate fraudulent conduct related to our Federal health care programs.”

The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Regina R. McCullough, Wayne F. Pratt, and Philip A. Ross.

Press Release