Russian deputy of New York accused of fraud and drug trafficking

Former Muscovite and former member of the State Assembly of New York Alec Brooke Red was among the 13 employees and owners of 3 Brooklyn clinics, who were charged in New York with drugs, money laundering, and insurance fraud. Medicare and Medicaidas well as other crimes. All the defendants were detained by the police, with the exception of Brook-Krasny, who is now in Israel.

Brook Red was the first Russian immigrant elected to the New York State Assembly in 2007 from predominantly Russian-speaking districts of Brooklyn.

He was re-elected to this position several times, however, in the 2015 year, without waiting for the expiration of his term, he unexpectedly resigned his deputy. Then Brooke Red, whose deputy salary was $ 92,5 thousands per year, announced that he was leaving politics in the private sector.

He headed the medical laboratory, and it was in this position that the prosecutor’s office now claims had committed serious crimes.

Charges were brought on the basis of Operation Avalanche, which began in 2013. Then the attention of the Federal Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) was attracted by the so-called “buyers from doctors”, that is, people who did not need painkillers, but were looking for doctors who would prescribe such pills, including oxycodone, which is popular among drug addicts.

The local police joined the investigation and traced a large number of prescriptions for opioids from two Brooklyn clinics. Parkville Medical Health and LF Medical Services of NY. Both clinics are owned by 70-year-old physician Lazar Feigin, who emigrated 25 years ago to the United States from Belarus.

According to the prosecution, in the 2012 year, Feigin began distributing opioids among his patients in exchange for the fact that they underwent tests and procedures in which there was no need. These medical services were paid for by state insurance. Medicare and medicaid.

According to prosecutors, from just 2012 onwards to the start of 2017, 3,7 million oxycodone tablets turned out to be on the black market due to the unlawful actions of Dr. Feigin and his subordinates, and fake tests and procedures were conducted on $ 16 million.

Another clinic, which was opened by a doctor who had previously worked with Dr. Feigin, also participated in criminal operations.

According to DEA special agent James Hunt, 3 said clinics in total “have invested millions of pills in the hands of drug dealers and drug addicts 6”, which cost on the black market ranges from $ 60 to $ 100 million.

According to Bridget Brennan, special anti-drug attorney who oversaw Operation Avalanche, she has never experienced such a widespread criminal activity. According to the prosecution, Dr. Feigin deliberately sat some patients on opioids, and then supplied them with oxycodone.

Photo: depositphotos.com

The prosecutor's office calls Feigin the "architect" of the criminal scheme, which required the doctors of their clinics to prescribe opioids to patients, even if there was no medical need, and also forced the doctors working for him to prescribe unnecessary tests and costly tests. Clinic patients were also supposed to receive counseling from a psychiatrist and a physiotherapist, but the procedures for these specialists lasted no more than 5 minutes, which did not meet current standards.

Since 2016, Dr. Feigin's clinics have collaborated with the laboratory Quality Laboratory Servicesled by Alec Brooke Red. According to the prosecution, this laboratory not only performed urine tests that were not medically necessary, but also falsified their results if alcohol was found in the urine, the presence of which does not allow opioids to be prescribed.

As a member of the Assembly, Brooke Red has prepared at least 2 a draft anti-drug bill.

In January, 2014 presented one of them, which involved the creation of long-term care programs for drug addicts and the financing of clinics where patients could undergo detoxification. Later, Brooke Red presented another bill that provided for the allocation of $ 500 thousand to “draw attention to the dangers” of heroin use. Both of these bills, however, were rejected.

Bruk-Red’s lawyer, Frank Caron, in an e-mail received by the Russian service of Voice of America, noted that his “client understands the gravity of the charges and, of course, the seriousness of the opioid epidemic.”

“As for the claims that he is guilty of something, this is an incredible injustice,” he added. - As follows from the indictment documents, this investigation began many years ago. Alec began working in the office of Dr. Feigin only 5-6 months ago. We are sure that when all the facts are presented, it will become obvious that Mr. Brook-Krasny is only the third party providing services, and nothing more. ”

The lawyer also added that Brooke Red, “who fled from communist Russia” and became “the first in US history to come from Russia, elected to the legislature” (which is not true - MG), “established himself as a deputy, from the best side. “We intend to protect this legacy,” Karon wrote, promising that “Alec will be back soon” in the United States.

Meanwhile, Judge Neil Ross refused to release on bail of Lazar Feigin, citing a statement by prosecutors that the defendant has an apartment in Russia and may well hide from punishment.

Newspaper New York Times recalls that in an interview recorded for 2013 for the Brighton Beach style video program, Feigin talked about his personal shopping consultant and showed expensive shoes from Ferragamo.

“Such a style in Russia was almost impossible,” Dr. Feigin said then. - I had no money. I worked, and to this day I work very, very hard to afford this style. ”