New York: Indian-origin physician Neil Anand, 48, has been convicted in a Pennsylvania federal court for illegally distributing controlled substances, healthcare fraud, and money laundering, according to the US Justice Department.

Anand was found to have pre-signed prescriptions for opioids like oxycodone, which were distributed by interns to patients. He also dispensed “Goody Bags” with unnecessary medications through his pharmacies and billed insurance providers, defrauding them of $2.3 million.

When aware of the investigation, Anand transferred $1.2 million to accounts under his father’s name and for his daughter’s benefit to hide the proceeds. He is scheduled for sentencing in August.

Anand was originally charged in 2019 alongside four others. In a separate 2017 case, Indian-American cardiologist Devendra Patel in Nevada was also arrested for unlawfully prescribing opioids.