NHCAA Presents 2007 Fraud 'Investigation of the Year' Award to U.S. Departments of Justice, HHS, and Treasury for Convicting Internet Pharmacy 'Dru...( Christopher William Smith Illegal...),Health

Christopher William Smith Illegally Dispensed $24 Million Worth of Prescription Drugs Through Rogue Internet Pharmacy Racket

Internet Pharmacy Scam Funded Luxury Lifestyle, Including Seven Convertibles, Four Stretch Limousines & Maybach 62

ANAHEIM, Calif., Dec. 6 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Health Care Anti-Fraud Association (NHCAA) today is presenting the U.S. Departments of Justice, Health & Human Services, and Treasury the 2007 Fraud "Investigation of the Year" award for their work in convicting Christopher William Smith of illegally dispensing more than $24 million of controlled prescription drugs through fraudulent Internet pharmacies. The award is being made at the NHCAA's Annual Training Conference in Anaheim, California. Over 1,000 fraud investigators from government and the private sector have joined together at the conference to hear public-private solutions to the $60 billion dollar health-care fraud crisis.

In August 2007, Christopher William Smith -- described by US District Judge Michael Davis as a "drug kingpin" -- was sentenced to thirty years in prison for running an illegal Internet pharmacy. Smith's sentence was augmented by a threat to kill a government witness during the government's prosecution. Mr. Smith was convicted in November 2006 on nine charges of conspiracy, illegal distribution of drugs, money laundering, and operating a "continuing criminal enterprise." The conviction was an outgrowth of an investigation into Smith's Internet spamming activities that made him one of the top 10 spammers in the world. An Internet, tax, and health care fraud investigation stemming from the spamming activities revealed an organization that illegally supplied tens of millions of dollars worth of controlled substances to drug-dependent individuals across the US. Five other individuals have pleaded guilty.

Over several years, the 27 year-old Smith built a vast criminal empire. As an indication of Smith's
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