The operators of seven fraudulent medical clinics were among 12 defendants taken into custody in August on federal drug trafficking charges alleging they diverted at least 2 million prescription pills – including oxycodone and other addictive and dangerous narcotics – to the black market.

Two federal grand jury indictments allege that members of the conspiracy profited from illicit prescriptions that were issued without legitimate medical purpose through a series of clinics that periodically opened and closed. The fraudulent prescriptions allegedly allowed the conspirators to obtain bulk quantities of prescription drugs that were sold on the street.

The defendants include Minas Matosyan, also known as “Maserati Mike,” who is charged with leading the scheme and controlling six of the clinics. Matosyan allegedly hired doctors who allowed the conspirators to issue fraudulent prescriptions under their names in exchange for kickbacks.

The indictments describe how Matosyan would “rent out recruited doctors to sham clinics.” Matosyan allegedly supplied corrupt doctors in exchange for kickbacks derived from proceeds generated when the other clinics created fraudulent prescriptions or submitted fraudulent bills to healthcare programs.

The conspirators also allegedly stole the identities of doctors who refused to participate in the scheme.

The indictment also charges Matosyan and others – including Glendale-based criminal defense attorney Fred Minassian – with obstruction of justice for allegedly creating fraudulent medical records in an effort to deter the investigation.

One of the defendants, Anait Guyumzhyan, 27, of Hollywood, allegedly filled prescriptions for oxycodone and returned the drugs to Matosyan-operated clinics in exchange for cash payment.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Benjamin Barron and Jamie Lang, of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force.