Quality & complianceOfficial

Jacksonville Pharmacy Owner and Accountant Indicted in Alleged $51 Million Health Care Fraud Scheme

🇺🇸 HHS OIG · Fri 13 Nov 2026

A 31-count federal indictment in Florida charges a Jacksonville man with health care fraud and money laundering, and an accountant with money laundering.

A federal grand jury in the Middle District of Florida has returned a 31-count indictment over an alleged $51 million health care fraud scheme, according to an HHS OIG notice. The U.S. Attorney's Office announced the action on 12 November 2026, and U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.

Charlie Bernard Griffin III, 61, of Jacksonville, is charged with health care fraud and money laundering. Ethelbert Chinenye Nwanegbo, 47, of St. Johns, is named in the same indictment and charged with money laundering only. The headline on the notice describes Griffin as a pharmacy owner and Nwanegbo as an accountant.

Each defendant faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each count. The notice lists the enforcement types as criminal and civil actions. The material provided does not describe how the alleged scheme operated, which payers were affected, or the name of the pharmacy.

An indictment is an allegation, not a finding of guilt. Both men are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.

What it means for your team

  • The case adds to US enforcement activity aimed at pharmacy-sector fraud, with money laundering charges brought alongside the health care fraud count.
  • Compliance teams at pharmacies and their suppliers may wish to review billing controls and financial oversight, but the source gives no detail on the alleged mechanism.
  • Further court filings or Department of Justice releases would be needed to understand the specific allegations, so firms should avoid drawing operational conclusions from this notice alone.

Official source: HHS OIG ↗

Article written by VigiEye from the official source (HHS OIG). AI-assisted; check the source before acting.

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