August 27, 2005

The fall-out from the multi-billion fen-phen attorney fraud (e.g., Mar. 1) has produced a federal indictment—but only of a Mississippi paralegal who's charged with six counts of mail fraud. One hopes that bigger fish will be landed.

The indictment listed a $5,000 check Foster and others tried to deposit in a bank account that was derived from the illegal activity.

"It was part of the conspiracy that Foster and others, known and unknown to the grand jury, in order to qualify as plaintiffs in the Fen-Phen II settlement, fraudulently represented to the court-appointed special master and others that they had received prescriptions for, purchased, and used Redux or Pondimin, when in fact they had not received prescriptions for, purchased, or used the named diet drug," the indictment says.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Cindy Eldridge said Foster was unsuccessful in getting money for herself but is believed to have helped countless others with false claims.

(Jimmie E. Gates, "Former law firm paralegal indicted in Fen-Phen case", Clarion-Ledger, Aug. 25).