Mississippi woman pleads guilty in $200 million pharmacy fraud

Published 6:42 pm Wednesday, February 20, 2019

A Mississippi woman charged in a fraud case that prosecutors say reaped more than $200 million from a federal military health insurer and others has pleaded guilty.

Hope Thomley of Hattiesburg entered guilty pleas Wednesday in federal court to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and tax evasion.

Prosecutors say Thomley and her husband Randy Thomley bribed health care providers to prescribe handcrafted high-dollar medications that were generally unnecessary.

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Hope Thomley faces up to 15 years in prison at sentencing. Prosecutors are dropping an earlier 26-count indictment that carried a potential 245-year sentence.

Thomley agreed to forfeit $29 million under her plea, including $15 million in cash.

Randy Thomley is expected to plead guilty to charges next week.