‘Operation Obelix’ culminated in the arrest of an endocrinologist suspected of improperly prescribing medication intended to treat diabetes.
The Judicial Police arrested today an endocrinologist suspected of being part of a fraudulent scheme involving the prescription of medicines subsidized by the National Health Service (SNS), in an operation that had one of its key points in Funchal.
The investigation, conducted by the Northern Directorate of the PJ (Judicial Police), included several searches in different cities across the country, but it was in Funchal that the officers focused part of their attention, inspecting the headquarters of a company that, according to the Judicial Police, strongly suggests it was operating as a “front” in the scheme now dismantled.
“The searches targeted the residences of the main suspects, a law office, a health establishment, and the headquarters of two companies in Albufeira and Funchal, which are believed to be ‘front companies,’ as well as accounting offices in Santa Maria da Feira and Lousada,” the statement reads.
According to the PJ (Judicial Police), the aforementioned doctor is “suspected of participating in a fraudulent scheme, whereby medication intended to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus was prescribed to clients of a clinic who do not suffer from the disease, and whose sole purpose of the prescription was weight loss, with the crimes of aggravated fraud and computer forgery being involved.”
In addition to the detainee, authorities say there is “strong evidence” of the involvement of two other doctors, a lawyer, and a medical clinic in the scheme.
“The National Health Service (SNS) reimbursement for this type of medication can reach 95% of its value if the patient is actually diabetic, so by prescribing these medications to people who do not suffer from the disease, through the introduction of false data into the prescription software,” explains the PJ (Judicial Police).
The Polícia Judiciária (Portuguese Criminal Investigation Police) further states that the suspects caused losses to the Portuguese State that could amount to around three million euros, through the payment of co-payment fees obtained fraudulently.
“Fraud against the National Health Service (SNS) generally involves well-defined plans with a logic geared towards obtaining high profits by the perpetrators, resulting in the misappropriation of public funds and harming the proper functioning of institutions and public health in general. Therefore, given the social dimension of the crimes in question, several search warrants were issued by the judicial authorities, as well as an arrest warrant for the first judicial interrogation of the main suspect in the investigation,” the entity emphasizes.
For this operation, named ‘Obelix’, 40 officers were mobilized, and the operations took place in the cities of Porto, Vila Nova de Gaia, Lousada, Santa Maria da Feira, Albufeira and Funchal.
The detainee will be brought before a judge for initial questioning, at which time appropriate coercive measures will be applied.
The investigation is being conducted by the Regional Public Prosecutor’s Office in Porto.