John Ageudo Rodriguez, a 55-year-old licensed pharmacist from McAllen, pleaded guilty to his involvement in a $110 million kickback scheme. The conspiracy centered on offering financial incentives for prescription referrals of expensive compound drugs. Rodriguez admitted to paying over $24 million in kickbacks to marketers with ties to healthcare providers, as reported by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Rodriguez, the owner of Pharr Family Pharmacy, exploited illicit payouts by billing over $110 million to federal health care programs between 2014 and 2016. In a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas, “Rodriguez admitted he paid kickbacks in excess of $24 million to various marketers.” The scheme also involved multiple marketers who pleaded guilty. Rodriguez, set to be sentenced on March 25, faces up to five years in federal prison and a potential fine of up to $250,000. His bond remains in place while awaiting sentencing, as granted by Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane…