Pittsburgh-Area Ex-Doctor Pleads Guilty To Drug, Fraud Charges

PITTSBURGH, PA — A former Hampton physician faces a lengthy prison sentence after pleading guilty in U.S. District Court to drug diversion, health care fraud and money laundering charges related to his holistic medicine practice.

Acting U.S. Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced that Andrzej Kazimierz Zielke, 66, pleaded guilty to four counts of unlawful dispensing and distributing Schedule II controlled substances, one count of health care fraud, and one count of money laundering.

According to Kaufman's office, Zielke owned Medical Frontiers, a purported pain management
practice in Gibsonia, Pennsylvania. On several occasions in 2017, Zielke distributed to four patients Schedule II drugs that included oxycodone, methadone, hydrocodone and oxymorphone, for no medical purpose.

Zielke committed health care fraud by causing fraudulent claims to be submitted to Medicaid for payments to cover the costs of the unlawfully prescribed drugs. He also violated federal money laundering statutes when he caused approximately $150,000 in proceeds obtained through his illegal drug distribution to be wired from a bank account to Kitco Metals, Inc. in Canada to purchase silver and collector coins.

“We are intensely focused on stemming the supply of illegal opioids into our communities, regardless of whether the dealers are trafficking on a street corner or are abusing their physician’s oath by prescribing painkillers for no legitimate medical reason,” Kaufman said in a release. “We will continue our critical work to prosecute all those who are fueling our nation’s continuing opioid crisis.”

Zielke faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of $500,000.00, or both, for the controlled substances offenses. He also potentially could get 10 years and a $250,000 fine for each of the health care fraud charges, and 10 years and a $250,00 fine for the money laundering offenses.

Zielke will be sentenced on Nov. 1.