Wallingford Doctor Arrested On Drug, Health Care Fraud Charges

WALLINGFORD, CT — A Wallingford doctor faces federal drug and health care fraud charges after authorities said he sold opioid prescriptions for cash. Dr. Anatoly Braylovsky, 49, of Wallingford, was arrested Thursday, authorities announced Monday. Jennifer Bousquet, 36, of Wallingford, was also arrested for her involvement in the scheme, according to officials.

Braylovsky is an internal medicine physician who has operated the Family Practice of Greater New Haven, located on North Main Street in Wallingford. Braylovsky’s practice accepted patients who are insured by Medicare, Medicaid and commercial insurance plans.

The federal Drug Enforcement Administration and the Wallingford Police Department started receiving complaints about Braylovsky’s prescribing practices in 2014, officials said.

“In early 2016, investigators from both the DEA Diversion Control Division and the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection’s Drug Control Division notified Braylovsky that they were concerned about his prescribing practices and informed him that some of his patients had a criminal history,” according to a news release from the U.S. States Attorney’s Office for Connecticut. “Through subsequent Connecticut Prescription Monitoring Program inquiries, investigators found that Braylovsky continued to prescribe a high quantity of opioid-based pills, as well as Alprazolam and Adderall, to a number of patients.

“Investigators also received information that some of Braylovsky’s patients, including Bousquet, received medically unnecessary prescriptions for these drugs and were then selling the pills for profit; that Braylovsky was selling prescriptions for large amounts of cash; and that some patients who had their prescriptions filled provided pills to Braylovsky.”

Investigators found in October 2019 that Bousquet and other patients of Braylovsky were using their Medicaid or Medicare insurance to pay for medically unnecessary prescriptions, according to authorities.

“For at least three years, Bousquet has received from Braylovsky monthly prescriptions for 170 oxycodone 30mg pills, 75 Adderall 20mg pills, and 30 alprazolam 2mg pills,” officials wrote in the news release. “It is further alleged that, during the investigation, law enforcement utilized a confidential source, who was both a patient of Braylovsky and an associate of Bousquet, to pay Braylovsky cash in exchange for receiving a prescription for oxycodone.

“On four occasions between October 2019 and January 2020, the source visited Braylovsky’s office, gave him $1,600 in cash, and received a prescription for 150 oxycodone 30mg pills. Even though Braylovsky performed no physical examination and did not discuss the source’s health, Braylovsky billed Medicaid for each office visit.

“In addition, the source provided Braylovsky with $1,600 in cash for a prescription during an office visit on March 18, 2020, and delivered $1,600 to Braylovsky’s car after a telehealth appointment on April 30, 2020. The appointment was conducted via FaceTime due to the COVID-19 pandemic. After each prescription was filled, DEA agents took the oxycodone pills into evidence. Medicaid paid for each filled prescription.

“Between approximately January 2016 and May 2020, Medicare and Medicaid have paid more than $1.6 million for schedule II medications, including oxycodone, prescribed by Braylovsky. During that time, Medicare and Medicaid have also paid Braylovsky’s practice more than $590,000 for routine office visits.”

Braylovsky and Bousquet are each charged with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Braylovsky is also charged with health care fraud and making false statements relating to health care matters.

They both appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert M. Spector via videoconference. Braylovsky was ordered detained and Bousquet was released on a $150,000 bond.