U.S. District Court Camden
CAMDEN – A former Margate firefighter was convicted Thursday on four counts of an indictment charging him with defrauding public health insurance plans out of approximately $1 million, U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.
Thomas Sher, 50, of Northfield, was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and three counts of health care fraud following a 12-day jury trial before U.S. District Judge Robert B. Kugler in Camden federal court.
Sher has not been a member of the Margate City Fire Department since 2019 and was officially terminated on March 3, 2021.
According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial:
Sher was part of a criminal conspiracy in which state and local government employees were recruited and compensated to receive medically unnecessary compound prescription medications. Sher caused the pharmacy benefits administrator to pay out almost $1 million for medically unnecessary compound prescription medications for individuals they recruited into the scheme. Sher directly received approximately $115,000 from the scheme.
Sher and others were indicted in March 2019 on charges that they defrauded New Jersey health benefits programs and other insurers. To date, approximately 40 people have been convicted or pleaded guilty to the conspiracy.
Sher faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan.10, 2023.
