Two Doctors Lose Jobs In Separate Toms River Bribe, Drug Cases

TOMS RIVER – Two doctors who ran into trouble in Toms River recently have temporarily lost their licenses in two separate cases– one for bribes and the other for drugs. But one of them could be back on the job relatively soon.

James Morales, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to bribe a physician, was suspended for four years by the State Board of Medical Examiners last month.

But the suspension was retroactive to April 11, 2016, so that means he could get his job back in a few weeks.

In the other case, Martin Fried was arrested on July 20, 2018 and charged by the Toms River police with illegal distribution of drugs, according to the state board.

He pleaded guilty on June 27, 2019 after agreeing to enter a mental health assistance program. His license was suspended for five years on Feb. 18, according to the state board. But the suspension is retroactive to Oct. 21, 2019.

Read more: Monmouth Doctor's License Suspended Over Illegal Prescriptions

As the owner of Shore Sports Medicine in Toms River, Morales accepted at least $60,00 in cash from a Prescriptions R Us, according to the state board.

In 2017, he pleaded guilty in Passaic County to making "half-health" claims. On Feb. 13, his license was suspended for four years, retroactive to April 11, 2016, according to the state board.

Read more: Toms River Sports Medicine Doctor Gets Jail Time In Bribery-Prescription Scheme

Morales was among 31 doctors and physician assistants who received license suspensions in March 2017 in connection with charges against them.

At the time, then-Acting U.S. Attorney William Fitzpatrick said PRU was owned and operated by Vladimir Kleyman, 46, of Lakewood. As a compounding pharmacy, PRU prepared medication using different types and dosages of drugs in order to provide more personalized medications for patients.

PRU supplied a topical cream for pain treatment that was made from ketamine (a Schedule III non-narcotic), lidocaine, diclofenac and other ingredients, authorities said.

Morales also admitted that on Dec. 19, 2013, Kleyman told Morales that the quantity of pain cream that Morales had prescribed was too high to get reimbursed by Horizon, a private health insurance plan. Kleyman asked Morales to start omitting quantity information on his prescriptions for the compounded pain cream, and Morales admitted he agreed to omit quantity information on prescriptions for patients enrolled in Horizon in order to help PRU obtain reimbursements, authorities said.

Kleyman had previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to pay kickbacks in exchange for prescription referrals and committing health care fraud. He was sentenced on Nov. 4, 2015, to 20 months in prison, three years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution of $477,000.