Suspended Darien doctor pleads guilty to federal fraud charge

A suspended west suburban physician pleaded guilty Thursday to federal charges of health care fraud and illegally prescribing prescription drugs.

Sathish Narayanappa Babu, 47, owner of Anik Life Sciences Medical Corp. in Darien, pleaded guilty to one count of health care fraud and one count of illegally prescribing a controlled substance, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office.

As part of his plea agreement, Babu agreed to surrender his DEA registration and forfeit about $126,000 that was seized when he was arrested, as well as three vehicles—a 2013 BMW, 2001 BMW, and 2010 Lexus, according to a statement from federal prosecutors.

Babu admitted that he illegally prescribed oxycodone and other controlled substances, and fraudulently billed Medicare about $500,000—collecting $216,000—for services he did not provide.

The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation temporarily suspended Babu’s physician’s license and controlled substance license, held since 2008, according to the department.

Between November 2012 and December 2013, Babu wrote five prescriptions—each for 60 doses of 80mg Oxycontin—to a patient he had never seen or examined, and was actually an undercover agent, prosecutors said.

The undercover agent posed as a healthy person covered by Medicare who was looking for prescription medication, including oxycodone, the statement said. He claimed to have shoulder pain from a previous injury and to be on disability.

Babu remains free on bond, and is prohibited from writing prescriptions or submitting claims to Medicare. He is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 21, 2015, by U.S. District Judge John H. Tharp Jr.