Former Ocean City School Worker Admits Role In Health Benefits Fraud Scheme

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CAMDEN, N.J. (AP) — A former maintenance worker for a southern New Jersey school district has admitted defrauding the state health benefits plan out of nearly $5 million. James Wildman pleaded guilty this week to conspiracy. The 44-year-old Marmora man had worked for the Ocean City district before he resigned last month.

Wildman was part of a scheme in which conspirators persuaded people to obtain very expensive but medically unnecessary compound medications from an out-of-state compounding pharmacy. Roughly two dozen people have pleaded guilty so far.

Federal prosecutors say the unnamed pharmacy was paid more than $50 million for prescriptions mailed to New Jersey residents, including nearly $4.9 million for prescriptions filled by Wildman and his co-conspirators.

Wildman received $657,040 for his role in the scheme. He faces up to 10 years in prison when he's sentenced Feb. 25.

(Copyright 2018 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)