United States Drug Enforcement Administration

NOV 18 - PORTLAND, Maine - Michael J. Ferguson Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine announced that Dr. Joel A. Sabean, 69, of Falmouth, Maine, was found guilty today following a two-week jury trial in U.S. District Court of five counts of tax evasion, 52 counts of drug distribution for other than legitimate purposes, and one count of health care fraud.  He was indicted on October 20, 2015.

According to court records, between January 2008 and December 2013, the defendant sent over $2.3 million to a relative who resided in Florida and had her fabricate and send him phony medical bills so that he could write off about $3 million in medical expenses on his 2008 through 2012 income tax returns. From 2007 through 2014, the defendant also wrote invalid prescriptions for the relative, in her name and the names of others, for controlled and non-controlled drugs, some of which were illegally reimbursed by the defendant’s insurance company that did not cover the relative. These prescriptions were invalid because, among other things, they were issued to a close family member who was not a patient without a medical examination.

The defendant faces up to five years in prison and a $100,000 fine on the tax charges, up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the drug charges, and up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the health care fraud charges.  He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. 

This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, (NH) Tactical Diversion Squad and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations.