Federal agents raid Sunshine Pharmacy, letter points to Medicare fraud probe

EAST NAPLES Federal authorities spent Thursday at Sunshine Solutions and Pharmacy in East Naples removing documents in an apparent investigation of potential Medicare fraud on behalf of the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency and its diversion program was conducting the on-site investigation at 5482 Rattlesnake Hammock Road, Collier County sheriff's spokeswoman Karie Partington said.

Authorities also searched a silver Toyota parked in the shopping center, according to Maryann Steiginga, who works at a nearby Domino's Pizza and witnessed the activity throughout the day. She said authorities were at Sunshine when she arrived for work at 10:30 a.m.

"All I know is they had a bunch of federal agents and searched a car and were inside," she said. "They came with a U-haul and took files and (stuff) in black trash bags."

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid was informed by the Office of the Inspector General of allegations that Sunshine owner Del Parrish and his mother, Patricia Parrish, had been engaged in a scheme to defraud Medicare, according to an Oct. 17 letter CMS sent to Medicare Part D providers that was obtained by the Daily News.

"A preliminary investigation revealed that Del Parrish and his mother have submitted claims to Medicare for beneficiaries after their date of death, and a multitude of non-controlled medications that includes Megace," the letter said of the synthetic derivative of a steroid hormone.

In addition, Parrish and his mother may have submitted claims to Medicaid and Tricare, the insurance for military members, that weren't dispensed, in addition to other illegal narcotic related activities, the letter said.

The allegations were reported to investigating authorities "on behalf of former and current employees," according to the letter.

The CMS official with the Medicare Program Integrity Group who wrote the letter was advising Medicare Part D providers to take appropriate actions regarding the pharmacy.

Del Parrish, 43, also operates Gulfshore Pharmacy at 421 U.S. 41 N. and Sunshine Pharmacy at 6350 Davis Blvd. All three locations, including the Rattlesnake Hammock pharmacy, are engaged in the scheme to defraud Medicare, according to the letter.

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Federal agents raid Sunshine Pharmacy, letter points to Medicare fraud probe