Newark Doctor Accused Of Forging Signatures In Drug Scheme

NEWARK, NJ — A Newark doctor has been accused of forging signatures in a drug-related scheme that involved Oxycodone, Xanax, Adderall and other pharmaceuticals, prosecutors announced Friday.

Sagy Grinberg, 39, of Weehawken, was arrested on April 1, according to the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General.

Grinberg was charged with health care claims fraud (2nd degree), forgery (two counts, 3rd degree), obtaining Xanax by fraud (3rd degree), obtaining Oxycodone/Percocet by fraud (3rd degree), obtaining D-Amphetamine by fraud (3rd degree), obtaining Adderall by fraud (3rd degree), and obtaining Promethazine/Codeine by fraud (3rd degree).

Prosecutors released the following statement about the accusations against Grinberg:

“On or about March 19, 2021, Walgreens Pharmacy in Vauxhall, N.J., notified a New Jersey doctor that they were in possession of 12 prescriptions allegedly written by the doctor for Grinberg. The doctor informed Walgreens that he neither wrote nor verbally authorized the prescriptions. 13 alleged fraudulent prescriptions (primarily for Percocet) were identified as prescribed by this doctor and a second doctor between October 18, 2019 and February 20, 2021. During an interview with the second doctor on September 23, 2021, the doctor advised that he and Grinberg previously worked together at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center (NBIMC) as residents. This doctor confirmed that Grinberg was never his patient and he never wrote prescriptions for Grinberg. The doctor also confirmed that the signature on the prescription was not his.”

Prosecutors continued:

“The investigation revealed that Grinberg’s alleged scheme resulted in the issuance of 69 fraudulent prescriptions for about 141 drugs between January 27, 2016 and February 20, 2021. The alleged scheme included the following controlled dangerous substances: Oxycodone, Xanax, D-Amphetamine, Adderall, Promethazine-Codeine, and other pharmaceutical drugs Cialis/Tadalafil, Dexilant, and Dronabinol. Additionally, records revealed Grinberg’s insurance company paid over $6,000 for the fraudulent prescriptions through his benefits plan.”

Prosecutors said that second-degree health care claims fraud carries a maximum sentence of five to 10 years in state prison and a fine of up to $150,000. The third-degree forgery charges carry a maximum sentence of three to five years in state prison and a fine of up to $15,000. The third-degree drug charges carry a maximum sentence of three to five years in state prison and a fine of up to $50,000.

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