FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEWS ADVISORY
January 28, 2015
For More Information, contact:
Luther Strange
Mike Lewis (334) 353-2199
Alabama Attorney General
Joy Patterson (334) 242-7491
Claire Haynes (334) 242-7351
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AG ANNOUNCES INDICTMENT OF BESSEMER PHARMACIST FOR MEDICAID
FRAUD, THEFT OF OVER $50,000 FROM MEDICAID AGENCY
(MONTGOMERY)–Attorney General Luther Strange announced the arrest of Alan
Bruce Connell, 68, a Bessemer pharmacist and former owner of Westlake Pharmacy in
Bessemer, on four counts of filing false claims with the Alabama Medicaid Agency and one
count of first-degree theft of property.
The Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit presented evidence to the
January 2015 term of the Montgomery County grand jury, resulting in an indictment*
charging Connell with filing numerous false claims for payment to the Alabama Medicaid
Agency totaling over $50,000.
It is alleged that Connell conspired with the mother of a terminally ill child to bill the
Alabama Medicaid Agency for expensive medications that the child required but were not
dispensed by Connell. As part of the alleged scheme, the mother of the child would take her
child’s prescriptions to Connell, who would submit a claim with the Alabama Medicaid
Agency for reimbursement. Connell would then give the mother cash. A review of Connell’s
records revealed that during the time period in question he did not have enough of the
medication in stock to be able to dispense the amount he billed the Alabama Medicaid
Agency.
No additional information about the investigation or the alleged crimes may be
disclosed at this time.
The case was investigated by the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit
after being referred for investigation by the Program Integrity Division of the Alabama
Medicaid Agency. Medicaid Fraud is an unclassified felony with a maximum possible prison
sentence of five years. Theft of property in the first degree is a class “B” felony, which carries
a possible prison sentence of two to 20 years.
Attorney General Strange commended his Medicaid Fraud Control Unit for their
steadfast investigation of this case. He also thanked the Alabama Board of Pharmacy for
assistance.
*An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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501 Washington Avenue * Montgomery, AL 36104 * (334) 242-7300
www.ago.alabama.gov
