Abbotsford pharmacist who fraudulently refunded $18K to himself gets suspension

Prescription drugs are seen on shelves at a pharmacy in Montreal on March 11, 2021. (Ryan Remiorz / The Canadian Press)

An Abbotsford pharmacist has agreed to a 60-day suspension of his registration and a $1,500 fine after admitting to defrauding his employer of more than $18,000, which he later paid back.

Mitesh Vaghajibhai Malaviya’s suspension began May 5, according to a notice posted on the College of Pharmacists of B.C. website this week.

The pharmacist entered a consent agreement with the college to resolve the misconduct allegations against him.

In the agreement, Malaviya acknowledged that he had “fraudulently refunded approximately $18,323.23 to three of his own personal credit cards and in cash to himself,” according to the college’s public notice.

The notice does not elaborate on when the fraud occurred or how long it went on for, though it does say that Malaviya was “acting as a pharmacy manager” at the time, and that he “subsequently repaid to his employer the amount he defrauded.”

As punishment for his misconduct, Malaviya agreed to the suspension and the fine, as well as a three-year ban on acting as a pharmacy manager, director or officer of a pharmacy, or a “preceptor or supervisor of pharmacy students and/or international pharmacy graduates.”

He must also successfully complete an ethics course for health-care professionals within 180 days of signing the consent agreement, and he will have a letter of reprimand placed on the college register for two years.

Malaviya’s suspension is scheduled to end July 3.

The college said its inquiry committee considered Malaviya’s actions “serious” and worthy of punitive terms in the consent agreement “owing to the registrant’s dishonest conduct.”

“The inquiry committee considered the terms of the consent agreement necessary to remediate the registrant’s conduct, deter his behaviour, protect the public, as well as send a clear message of deterrence to the profession,” the college’s notice reads.