Pharmaceutical Giant Sues COGIC Leaders Over Alleged $200 Million Medication Fraud

Eli Lilly, a prominent pharmaceutical company, has filed a massive civil lawsuit against several high-ranking leaders within the Church of God in Christ. The legal action alleges that…

Eli Lilly, a prominent pharmaceutical company, has filed a massive civil lawsuit against several high-ranking leaders within the Church of God in Christ. The legal action alleges that these individuals orchestrated a multi-year scheme to defraud the company of more than $200 million through a fraudulent prescription drug rebate program.

The lawsuit, filed in a Florida court, details what Eli Lilly describes as a "sham" prescription cost-share program. According to the sixty-six-page complaint, the defendants used the guise of a charitable health initiative for members of the Church of God in Christ (COGIC) to obtain enormous quantities of the diabetes medication Trulicity. The pharmaceutical giant alleges that the four individuals at the center of the suit claimed these drugs were intended for church members who either did not exist or could not be verified by the company. Instead of reaching the hands of patients in need, the drugs were allegedly diverted and sold on the secondary market to various wholesalers. This allowed the defendants to pocket the proceeds from the sales while simultaneously collecting millions in rebates from the manufacturer under false pretenses.

The individuals named in the lawsuit are prominent figures within the Pentecostal community. Among the defendants is Readus C. Smith III, who serves as the secretary-general of health and business for the denomination. Also named are Bishop Jerry Maynard Sr. and his two children, Jerry Maynard II and Misha Maynard. The Maynards are based in Nashville, Tennessee, where they lead the Cathedral of Praise church. Jerry Maynard Sr. is a highly influential figure, serving on the twelve-member general board that governs the national COGIC organization. His son acts as the senior pastor of their Nashville congregation, while his daughter serves as the pastor of operations. The prominence of these leaders within one of the nation’s largest Black denominations adds a layer of gravity to the allegations, as their roles involve significant trust and oversight of church resources.

At the heart of the alleged operation is an entity called the Community Health Initiative. This organization was presented to the public and to church members as a way to help reduce the cost of expensive medications. The lawsuit claims that the four defendants used this initiative to work with a mail-order pharmacy known as DrugPlace. Between 2020 and 2024, DrugPlace allegedly ordered hundreds of thousands of boxes of Trulicity, worth more than $250 million. Eli Lilly asserts that it paid out over $200 million in rebates during this period based on data provided by the defendants. However, when the company began to investigate the numbers, it found fabricated records and details that failed to align with actual patient needs. The company claims the defendants used the health program as a front to turn a significant profit on every unit of medication they moved.

The scale of the alleged deception is a heavy burden for a community built on faith.

Interestingly, Eli Lilly notes that it had previously flagged concerns regarding DrugPlace years before this current lawsuit. The manufacturer had a direct relationship with the pharmacy from

Originally reported by Christianity Today.