PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — A registered nurse practitioner pleaded guilty to obtaining millions of dollars through a health care fraud scheme, the office of U.S. Attorney Zachary Cunha said Thursday.

Alexander A. Istomin, 56, admitted he routinely submitted claims to insurance and Medicare providers for in-person appointments in Rhode Island, New York, and Florida that he never actually conducted, according to prosecutors.

He also admitted to waiving copayments and using patient information to obtain prescriptions and distribute them elsewhere, prosecutors said.

In addition, Istomin claimed that he maintained an office in East Greenwich that did not exist. Prosecutors said some of the fraudulent payments were mailed to that address.

Istomin agreed to plead guilty to charges of health care fraud, mail fraud, aggravated identity theft, and causing the introduction of misbranded drugs into interstate commerce. He was ordered to forfeit the $4.37 million he obtained through the scheme and is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 26.

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Nurse pleads guilty in $4.4M health care fraud scheme