New York Attorney General Letitia James announced October 7, 2026 the arrest and indictment of Miguel Baron, 62, of Yonkers, who owns two Jackson Heights pharmacies, Guardiola Pharmacy and Baron Specialty Pharmacy. The office alleges he directed a scheme that stole more than $31 million from Medicaid and the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) and endangered New Yorkers with HIV. The charges are allegations.
The Medicaid Fraud Control Unit says that from January 1, 2023 to April 29, 2026, Baron and co-conspirators encouraged Medicaid recipients to fill prescriptions at his pharmacies by paying them cash kickbacks. The office says the pharmacies billed Medicaid and ADAP for medications that were never dispensed to patients.
The attorney general also filed a civil asset forfeiture action to seize and place liens on assets bought with the alleged proceeds, including luxury properties in Miami, a Mercedes-Benz, a Lexus and tickets to the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Miami. The action seeks over $95 million in damages.