Published on October 31, 2005 at 4:59 PM
According to the U.S. attorney in Houston, more than 1,000 employees of the largest U.S. refinery were the victims of a scheme by a Houston man to make money by providing fake flu vaccines.
In a statement, the U.S. Attorney Chuck Rosenberg said that Iyad Abu El Hawa has been charged with attempting to defraud the Medicare program by providing the fake flu vaccine to Medicaid and Medicare beneficiaries.
It appears El Hawa also provided the fake flu vaccine injections to over 1,000 workers at the Exxon Mobil refinery in Baytown, Texas, during a two-day health fair at the leading U.S. refinery.
Apparently Exxon Mobil paid for the injections for their employees, but El Hawa was also providing injections to senior citizens who receive health benefits through Medicare and Medicaid.
According to Rosenberg a preliminary test of syringes intended for use at the Baytown refinery and found at the offices of El Hawa's home healthcare business in Houston have indicated that the syringes contain a form of purified water.
An Exxon spokeswoman was not available to comment on the case.
El Hawa was placed under arrest and remains in U.S. custody, if convicted he faces a possible 10-year prison sentence and a $250,000 fine.