United States of America v. Sherif Elmasri

Newark, New Jersey, criminal defense lawyer Ryan Magee represented the Defendant charged with conspiracy to commit health care fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1349 and violation of the anti-kickback statute 18 U.S.C. 371.

Reported by: Kent Morlan


From October 2022 to November 2025, Elmasri, a pharmacy owner, paid illegal kickbacks and bribes to several health care providers in exchange for them issuing prescriptions for high-reimbursement medications, which Elmasri selected, to Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. Elmasri personally profited from these prescriptions and the insurance claims it generated for his pharmacies.

Elmasri paid Veysman to issue prescriptions recommended by Elmasri to Medicare beneficiaries Elmasri referred to Veysman from from approximately May 2023 to December 2024. Veysman, at times, did not examine the patients prior to issuing the prescriptions.

The Defendant elected to plead guilty. The charges of conspiracy carry a statutory maximum of five years imprisonment as well as a maximum fine equal to twice the gross gain or twice the gross loss caused by the offense. The charges of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and violations of the Anti-Kickback statute each carry a statutory maximum of ten years imprisonment.