Two Charged in Jacksonville $51M HIV Medication Fraud Scheme

Two Jacksonville men face federal charges for allegedly orchestrating a $51 million health care fraud scheme that targeted Medicare and Medicaid through the fraudulent distribution of HIV medication.

Federal prosecutors announced the indictment of Charles Griffin, who operated First Coast Community Development, and accountant Ethelbert Nwangbo, WJXT reported. The scheme allegedly involved more than 20,000 claims for HIV post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) between 2023 and late 2025.

“The people that received these medications did not need them and did not want them,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory Kehoe.

The investigation suggests the group used the promise of free, government-sponsored cellphones to lure Jacksonville residents, specifically targeting lower-income areas, into providing personal and insurance information via questionnaires. Once the information was gathered, the group allegedly arranged prescriptions for HIV medication for individuals who had not been evaluated by a medical professional and had not requested the drugs.

Full video of feds announcing charges in multimillion-dollar Jacksonville health care fraud scheme — News4JAX The Local Station

Prosecutors allege a structured system of illegal kickbacks fueled the operation. According to the indictment, Griffin’s pharmacy paid marketer Jonathan Gholston $200 for every referral that resulted in an insurance payment. Gholston then allegedly distributed $50 per prescription to the marketers who recruited the residents.

The scheme relied on several medical and professional roles to bypass standard safeguards:

Pharmacist Albert Chester: Allegedly generated the necessary prescriptions.
Nurse Practitioner Rashawn Jones: Allegedly signed orders without conducting examinations or speaking with the recipients.
Marketers: Collected the insurance data used to bill the providers.

Several individuals have already entered guilty pleas, including pharmacist Albert Chester, marketer Jonathan Gholston, and nurse practitioner Rashawn Jones. Griffin and Nwangbo are currently awaiting trial.

The alleged fraud depleted public health funds. Federal officials calculated the losses by agency as follows:

Funding Source	Estimated Loss
Medicaid	$12.5 million
Medicare	$11.5 million

Individual payouts within the scheme were substantial. Prosecutors allege Griffin received approximately $14 million, Chester received about $5 million, Gholston received $2 million, and Jones was paid more than $400,000.

In response to the investigation, the government is seeking the forfeiture of assets tied to the alleged crimes. This includes $8 million seized from Griffin, $364,000 from Chester, eight properties, and six vehicles. Prosecutors are also seeking $18 million from Griffin and $6 million from Nwangbo in connection with alleged money laundering.

The investigation was a collaborative effort involving the FBI, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, and IRS Criminal Investigation. U.S. Attorney Kehoe said that the medical community in Jacksonville originally brought the suspicious activity to the attention of federal authorities.

While the financial theft is massive, officials expressed concern regarding the physical risks to the community. Investigators interviewed those who received the medication, and nearly all reported they had never requested the drugs. Officials noted they do not currently know how many people actually ingested the prescriptions, though they warned that taking medication without a licensed physician’s direction can be dangerous.