Elaborate Medicare scheme busted in Florida

MIAMI - Twenty-four people, including a doctor, a pharmacist and two pain clinic operators in Florida were indicted Wednesday by the federal government for allegedly taking part in an elaborate Medicare scheme.

Federal court documents state that some of the participants of the scheme made as much as $40 million in profits.

According to CBS local Miami reporter Stephen Stock, individuals that federal agents call "professional recruiters" would get Medicare patients to knowingly obtain bogus prescriptions at pain clinics for Oxycodone and Oxymorphone.

The patients would then get the prescriptions filled at pharmacies and sell the drugs back to the recruiters for a small fee. The recruiters would then, allegedly, sell the powerful, high-addictive medications on the black market.

Federal agents say the scheme had been in operation since at least 2007.