Jacksonville: A pharmacist linked to a Florida-based nonprofit has agreed to plead guilty in a $51 million healthcare fraud conspiracy involving the alleged improper distribution of HIV prevention medicines, US federal prosecutors said on November 12, 2026.
Albert Chester II, 41, who worked at a pharmacy operated by First Coast Community Development (FCCD), was charged with healthcare fraud in July. The pharmacy reportedly shut down in 2025. Court records indicate that Chester waived his right to an indictment and is scheduled to appear for a plea hearing on November 17.
The case also involves FCCD President Charlie Bernard Griffin III and accountant Ethelbert Chinenye Nwanegbo, who were indicted on October 29. Prosecutors allege that Griffin received approximately $14.2 million through the scheme. Nwanegbo is accused of laundering the proceeds.
According to US Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe, the operation involved submitting fraudulent claims to Medicare and Medicaid for HIV prophylactic medicines. More than 20,000 claims were allegedly filed for expensive medications shipped to individuals without medical examinations or their consent.
Investigators said marketers collected personal information by offering free mobile phones, which was subsequently used to generate prescriptions and insurance claims.
Prosecutors highlighted the potential health consequences, citing a case in which a recipient was warned by his cardiologist that taking an unsolicited HIV medication could have been fatal because of an existing medical condition.
Kehoe cautioned people against consuming medicines received without consulting healthcare professionals, stressing that the alleged operation placed financial gains above patient safety.
Chester’s healthcare fraud charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. Two other individuals have already pleaded guilty in connection with the conspiracy.
