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La. paramedic pleads guilty to pretending to be a doctor

A Baton Rouge paramedic pleaded guilty to falsely posing as a doctor to call in prescriptions, facing up to five years in prison and hefty fines

BATON ROUGE, La. — Baton Rouge Paramedic Samrat Mukherjee pleaded guilty to falsely posing as a doctor to call in prescriptions. He faces up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and fines of up to $250,000.

The Department of Justice said Mukherjee admitted to posing as a licensed doctor, forging a medical degree and residency letter, and even celebrating a fake medical school graduation while employed as a licensed paramedic by Acadian Ambulance.

The DOJ said Mukherjee gained physician access at multiple hospitals, saw ICU patients, and wore “M.D.” and “Flight Surgeon” insignia while using badges identifying him as a doctor.

From May 2019 to November 2022, Mukherjee posed as two doctors, calling in prescriptions that led pharmacies to bill insurers, including Medicaid. In one case, he forged a doctor’s signature to prescribe medication for a cancer patient.

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Bill Carey is the associate editor for FireRescue1.com and EMS1.com. A former Maryland volunteer firefighter, sergeant, and lieutenant, Bill has written for several fire service publications and platforms. His work on firefighter behavioral health garnered a 2014 Neal Award nomination. His ongoing research and writings about line-of-duty death data is frequently cited in articles, presentations, and trainings. Have a news tip? He can be reached at news@lexipol.com.