Years after pleas in the multimillion-dollar health-care fraud scheme that included doctors, teachers, firefighters and pharmaceutical representatives, many still have not seen the inside of a prison.
While Covid complicated moving the cases along in the legal system, the government also dramatically slow-walked the cases without any public explanation.
Hickman remains free, his sentencing moved repeatedly.
There are other examples of the lack of urgency.
Dr. John Gaffney, who willy-nilly signed individual compounding prescriptions for "patients" he never saw in return for cash kickbacks, wine and outings, took a plea in September 2017. More than five years later, Gaffney remains free.
Also still not locked up is Hickman’s lieutenant, Matt Tedesco of Linwood, who entered a plea in 2018. He and Hickman were both sales reps for prescription drug companies, allowing them access to doctors and patients.
And the supplier of the compounded prescriptions, Hayley Taff, of Central Rexall in Hammond, La., has likewise not been sentenced. She pleaded guilty in 2020.
The cases have cast a dark lingering pall over the region. Judge Kugler observed from the bench in December that “a generation of community leaders” in the area are now tainted. That’s especially the case in Northfield and Linwood, home to a large contingent of defendants, many of whom knew each other from their children’s schools and sports teams.
The lack of clarity from the Feds has fostered an atmosphere of speculation, gossiping and backbiting in those communities and led to the collapse of several marriages.
The delays have also led locals to speculate more arrests are pending.
Dr. John Gaffney, 55, of Linwood: Margate doctor must forfeit $25,000. Cost: $24.9 million
Mike Pepper, 45, of Northfield: Atlantic City firefighter must forfeit $113,627.54. Cost: $719,000
Nicholas Tedesco, 44, of Linwood: local candy retailer must forfeit $782,766.56. Cost: $2 million
Tara LaMonaca, 43, of Linwood: Pharmaceutical representative must forfeit $89,855.13. Cost: $530,527
William Hunter, 43, of Sewell: Salesman must forfeit $245,020.08. Cost: $1.3 million
Judd Holt, 42, of Marlton: Pharmaceutical representative must forfeit $95,574.49. Cost: $769,762
Steven Urbanski, 37, of Marlton: Pharmaceutical representative must forfeit $113,600. Cost: $250,000
Corey Sutor, 37, of Ventnor: Ventnor firefighter, must forfeit $150,397.79. Cost: $2 million.
Ed Sutor Jr., 36, of Linwood: Ventnor firefighter, must forfeit 335,551.81. Cost. $2.7 million.
Mark Bruno, 45, of Northfield: Pharmaceutical representative, received $68,872. Cost: $524,935
John Sher, 40, of Margate: Margate firefighter, received $327,897.
Christopher Broccoli, 50, of West Deptford: Received $150,315.