TRENTON – A counselor who was jailed for his role in prescription drug fraud will not be returning to work at any New Jersey school, authorities say.
The regulatory board ordered the cancellation of two certificates belonging to 44-year-old Michael Pilate, a former Williamstown resident.
The state board of examiners cited Pilate’s involvement in a scheme to file false claims for expensive drugs paid for by the New Jersey Public Employee Assistance Plan.
Pilate recruited government employees who received kickbacks for fraudulent drug claims, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for New Jersey.
Pilate received 18 months of imprisonment in December 2021 after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud.
The former Pleasantville school employee was also ordered to forfeit nearly $393,000 in proceeds of crime and pay $3.49 million in restitution.
Pilate held a school counselor certificate issued in August 2004 and a director of school counseling service issued in July 2012.
The council, which ordered the recall at its Oct. 28 meeting, said Pilate engaged in inappropriate behavior.
It noted that the position of an educator, who is a role model for students, “requires a degree of self-restraint and controlled behavior that is rarely necessary in other types of employment.”
Jim Walsh is a senior reporter for the Courier-Post, Burlington County Times and The Daily Journal.
