East Haven Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Selling Oxycontin Paid for Through Medicare Program
| U.S. Attorney’s Office December 07, 2011 |
David B. Fein, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that MAUREEN GULIANELLO, 69, of East Haven, was sentenced yesterday, December 6, by United States District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 12 months and one day of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for defrauding the Medicare Program by illegally selling oxycontin that had been paid for with Medicare funds.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2008, GULIANELLO obtained prescriptions for oxycontin and then filled the prescriptions, through Medicare, at various pharmacies. She kept some of the pills for personal use, and sold some to others.
The investigation of this matter also revealed that GULIANELLO and her son, David Deloughery, received money from Anthony “Terry” Buono of Wallingford to purchase oxycontin from pharmacies by using forged prescriptions. After purchasing the drugs, GULLIANELLO and Deloughery sold some of the pills for profit, repaid Buono the funds he had “fronted,” and also gave Buono a quantity of pills.
On October 26, 2009, GULLIANELLO pleaded guilty to one count of health care fraud.
On February 4, 2011, Buono pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, oxycontin. On June 15, 2011, he was sentenced to 18 months of imprisonment and was ordered to forfeit $50,000 to the government.
On October 14, 2009, Deloughery pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute oxycontin. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Friday, December 9.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Health and Human Services and the Food and Drug Administration.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rahul Kale.