Trial date set for third pharmacist charged with fraud

According to the Alberta College of Pharmacists, the trio allegedly negotiated drug purchases and vendor rebates or incentive payments on behalf of Medicine Hat Co-op (now South Country Co-op), but kept the rebates and incentives, in the form of gift cards, prepaid credit cards, travel vouchers and more, for themselves.

The alleged offences took place from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2014. In 2015, Federated Co-operatives Limited contacted the college after finding out the amounts of rebates and incentives recorded from Medicine Hat Co-op were lower than other pharmacies. In addition, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) also approached FCL for outstanding tax owed on the rebates, alleging they were not declared as income.

Stadnyk, King and Kieser are no longer employed by Co-op. Following the hearing, all three pharmacists were ordered to pay a $5,000 to the Alberta College of Pharmacists, had their licences suspended for two months, and have to disclose the decision of the hearing tribunal to any pharmacy employer for the next three years.

Medicine Hat police estimated the total value of the fraud at $1.6 million.

This past June, the trio were also charged with theft over $5,000, and special prosecutor Shelley Smith took over the case for the Crown.

King and Kieser will go to trial from January 22 to 28, 2018.

by CHAT News Today

Trial date set for third pharmacist charged with fraud

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