Doctor charged with pill fraud
NEWTON — A family physician from Pennsylvania will soon stand trial for allegedly participating in a fraud to fill fake prescriptions for opiate painkillers worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Dr. John Manzella and Robert J. Kosch face a multiple-count indictment that includes conspiracy, unlawful possession of narcotics, unlawful practice of medicine and forgery.
After a sprawling two-year investigation, law enforcement agencies in Sussex County as well as Lehigh County, Pa. allege that Manzella enabled prescription fraud that was carried out by Kosch.
Dressed in doctors’ scrubs bearing the name ‘Manzella Family Health Care’ and using prescription forms with Manzella’s letterhead, Kosch obtained over 13,000 Oxycodone pills from January 2011 to March of this year. The fraud yielded roughly $400,000 worth of medication, according to the criminal complaint against Kosch.
In an effort to conceal his identity and fly under the radar of narcotics watch lists, Kosch allegedly used several names, including John Houle, Fred Sacco, Thomas Lembo and John Molina at the Northeast Pharmacy in Lehighton, Walter's Pharmacy in Allentown and Mauch Chunk Pharmacy in Jim Thorpe, according to the criminal complaint against him.
Along the way, Kosch presented a driver's license, identifying himself as Robert DeGroot to police in Vernon, according to the indictment. Police also allege Kosch applied for a driver’s permit in Newton under the same false name.
Kosch was allegedly aided in the scheme by Pennsylvania-based clinician, Dr. John Manzella.
John Manzella works alongside brothers Edward and Victor Manzella at the family’s medical practices in Jim Thorpe and Palmerton, Pa., according to the practice's website.
The Manzella family has had a checkered past in the medical field.
John is the son of another John Manzella, whose license to practice medicine in the state of New Jersey was revoked in 2009 after an investigation concluded the elder Manzella sexually assaulted a patient, according to state records.
The board said Manzella inappropriately touched and propositioned the patient for sex while dosing her with drugs that made her incoherent, according to state documents.