Fake prescription ring dismantled in Istanbul! Many people, including doctors and pharmacists, arrested

In an investigation conducted into the issuance of fraudulent prescriptions in Istanbul's Beylikdüzü district, which caused approximately 5 million lira in losses to the Social Security Institution (SGK), 18 suspects, including 3 doctors and pharmacists, have been arrested.

The Büyükçekmece Chief Public Prosecutor's Office launched an investigation following allegations that fraudulent prescriptions were being billed to the SGK, creating a significant amount of public loss.

According to the report prepared by the SGK chief inspector within the scope of the investigation, it was determined that under the organization of a former pharmacy technician, doctors working at Beylikdüzü State Hospital and some pharmacists were issuing fraudulent prescriptions for high-value medications without any medical examinations, and that these were billed to the SGK, resulting in a high amount of public loss.

In this context, an examination of the account activities, HTS records, cargo information of certain individuals, and illegal drugs seized across Istanbul revealed that the patients did not have mobile phone base station records near the hospital on the dates when the high-priced prescriptions were issued in their names.

During the investigation, camera footage analysis showed that the former pharmacy technician would go to the doctor's secretary with a list containing patients' national ID numbers and have the doctor issue fraudulent prescriptions in a serial manner.

Bank account transactions were also identified between the so-called patients—who knew that drugs were being prescribed in their names fraudulently and received financial benefits in this context—the doctors who issued the fraudulent prescriptions, and the former pharmacy technician.

5 MILLION TL PUBLIC LOSS

In the investigation, where some individuals in whose names fake prescriptions were issued stated that they were unaware of the situation, did not receive any financial benefits, did not undergo examinations at any state hospital, and did not use these medications, it was determined that the public suffered a loss of approximately 5 million lira.

SERIAL NUMBERS OF DRUGS MATCHED THOSE ON FAKE PRESCRIPTIONS

The examination revealed that the serial numbers of the illegal drugs previously seized by the Financial Crimes Investigation Bureau teams matched the serial numbers of the drugs prescribed at Beylikdüzü State Hospital.

Following these findings, the Büyükçekmece Chief Public Prosecutor's Office issued detention warrants for 40 suspects on charges of "establishing an organization for the purpose of committing crimes," "bribery," "forgery of official documents," and "organized qualified fraud."

18 OUT OF 39 DETAINED SUSPECTS ARRESTED

In the operation carried out by the Financial Crimes Investigation Bureau teams in Istanbul and Düzce, 39 suspects, including 4 doctors working in public hospitals, were detained. It was determined that one of the suspects was already in prison.

After their procedures at the police station, the suspects were referred to the Büyükçekmece Courthouse. The on-duty criminal judgeship of peace ordered the arrest of 18 suspects, including 3 doctors and pharmacists, while 21 suspects were released under judicial control conditions.