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Jersey City internist, 63, also accused of Medicaid fraud

Dr. Ajit Jayaram of Englewood with a medical office in Jersey City was indicted on Monday on charges that he defrauded the Medicaid program, illegally distributed narcotic painkillers, and attempted to hire hitmen to kill three people: his wife, his lover and a business partner.

State Acting Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Ronald Chillemi said a 14-count state grand jury indictment charging Jayaram, 63, a physician whose internal medicine practice is at 295 Martin Luther King Dr. in Jersey City, with three counts of first-degree attempted murder.

In addition, the indictment charges Jayaram with writing narcotics prescriptions in exchange for cash and billing Medicaid for services never provided. His office manager, Sheema Mickens, 30, of Jersey City, is also charged in the indictment in connection with the alleged fraud.

During a Medicaid fraud investigation called Operation MedScam, conducted by the state Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor and the Jersey City police, authorities obtained information that Jayaram attempted to hire a man to kill his lover, Radha Ramaswamy, and a pharmacist, Mukhtar Ahmed. Jayaram owes Ramaswamy $250,000 and allegedly was worried his wife would learn of their affair.

Jayaram and Ahmed had a prior failed business relationship and were involved in ongoing disputes over a woman. Jayaram was initially arrested on Oct. 12. While in Hudson County Jail, he allegedly tried to hire another man to kill his wife, Sarasavani Jayaram. He allegedly believed that if his wife learned of his affair, she would leave him and take all of his money. Jayaram was charged by complaint on April 13 in the alleged plot to have his wife murdered. He is in Hudson County Jail with bail set at $2.5 million.

“This indictment suggests that nothing was beyond the realm of this doctor: not Medicaid fraud, not drug dealing, and not attempting to have those closest to him murdered,” state Attorney Paula T. Dow said. “The allegations indicate that our investigators put a stop to a very dangerous man.”

“It is fairly common for Medicaid fraud investigations to lead to evidence of other types of crime, including narcotics offenses, but there is nothing common about this doctor,” state Criminal Justice Director Stephen J. Taylor added. “We allege that, while already in jail on two counts of attempted murder, he tried to hire a man to kill his wife.”

“This indictment alleges a broad range of serious crimes, from narcotics distribution to Medicaid fraud to attempted murder," Chillemi said. "This case demonstrates that the greed of those who commit white-collar crimes can lead to violent acts."

The indictment alleges that on several occasions between March 1, 2010 and Nov. 1, Jayaram wrote prescriptions for the narcotic painkiller oxcodone for a witness who cooperated with law enforcement in the investigation. Jayaram allegedly accepted cash from the cooperating witness in exchange for the prescriptions and did not obtain a patient history or perform any examination of the witness.

It also is alleged that in connection with the visits by the witness, Jayaram and Mickens knowingly conspired with others to receive payments from Medicaid for claims for medical examinations, procedures or tests that were never performed or were not medically necessary.

The indictment charges Jayaram and Mickens with conspiracy, health care claims fraud, and two counts of Medicaid fraud.

In addition, Jayaram is charged with the three counts of first degree attempted murder, one count of first degree conspiracy to commit murder, distribution of a controlled dangerous substance (oxycodone), distribution of oxycodone within 500 feet of a public building, and distribution of oxycodone within 1,000 feet of a school. He is charged with making terroristic threats for allegedly leaving messages on Ramaswamy’s answering machine and making statements during a phone call threatening to kill her. He also is charged with witness tampering for asking a witness in the Hudson County Jail to falsify his statement to the police.

The case is being prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Debra A. Conrad. It was investigated by the OIFP Medicaid Fraud Control Unit: Det. Kevin Gannon, Sgt. Frederick Weidman, Det. Michael Rasar, and Deputy Attorney General Erik Daab, chief of the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.