A health care network with clinics in Boro Park, Bensonhurst and Williamsburg is under criminal investigation for giving unauthorized COVID-19 vaccines, officials said on Saturday.
ParCare Community Health Network “may have fraudulently obtained the COVID-19 vaccine, transferred to facilities in other parts of the state in violation of state guidelines, and diverted to members of the public,” state health commissioner Howard Zucker said in a statement to the press.
The statement came hours after the Post questioned a state health department spokesman about ParCare giving the coveted vaccines.
The network’s actions appear to violate the state’s plan to administer the limited supply of vaccines first to frontline health workers, along with nursing home residents and employees, the statement said.
Currently, there is not enough vaccine for the groups that should receive it first.
“The supply of the COVID-19 vaccine remains limited and has not yet met demand among the groups prioritized for the initial vaccination,” said Dr. Jane Zucker, assistant commissioner for the city’s Department of Health for immunizations.
The news website BoroPark24 reported on December 21 that ParCare claimed to have received 3,500 doses of the Moderna vaccine.
“Hundreds of patients have already been vaccinated today and people are still arriving,” Gary Schlesinger, CEO and President of ParCare, told the news website.
Schlesinger also said that he hoped to have vaccinated 500 people in Boro Park that same day.
ParCare created a website, parcarevaccine.com, where residents could register for the vaccine.
“You have to be on that list,” Schlesinger told BoroPark24, adding that he expects to receive more vaccines every day. “Once you are on the list, we have to examine it to make sure that you are a health professional, over 60 or have underlying diseases. We will not give the vaccine to people who are not eligible for this first batch of vaccines. “
ParCare accepts Medicare, Medicaid and most other insurance plans, the company said.
Schlesinger is politically well connected in the Orthodox Jewish community. He cultivated ties with Blasio’s mayor, Attorney General Letitia James, Brooklyn district attorney Eric Gonzalez and Brooklyn district president and candidate for mayor Eric Adams, the sources said.
A ParCare ad stated that “the FDA has authorized” the network to receive “a minimum number of COVID-19 vaccines”.
“Vaccines will be made available on a first-come, first-served basis”, says the ad.
He adds that vaccines will be given “Only to people in the following categories” and lists: “Elderly, high risk, underlying diseases”.
A community member told the Post that his father, in his 60s, received the vaccine at the ParCare clinic in Williamsburg.
“It is known in the community that you can get the vaccine if you want,” said the resident, adding “it is a mystery” how the clinic obtained the supply.
“We take this very seriously and the DOH will be assisting the State Police in a criminal investigation into the matter. Anyone found to have consciously participated in this scheme will be held liable to the full extent of the law,” said the state health commissioner.
Schlesinger could not be reached for comment.