Fentanyl diversion cases
181 documented cases, 2000–2026.
Figures are derived from the 931 case records collected on this site, not from any official total. A record counts here when its Drug field names fentanyl; it also appears on the opioids page.
Monetary penalties stated
Median: $10,000
Smallest $1,000 · largest $4,500,000
Median of 34 amounts in US dollars (civil settlements and penalties, criminal fines, restitution, forfeiture) stated in 31 of 181 records. 150 records state no dollar amount.
Custodial sentences stated
Shortest: 3 months
Longest: 468 months (39 years)
43 prison or jail terms stated in 43 of 181 records. Probation, supervised release, home confinement and suspended terms are not counted.
Roles named in the records
| Role | Records |
|---|---|
| Nurse (role unspecified) | 107 |
| Registered nurse (RN) | 17 |
| Physician / surgeon | 16 |
| Not stated in the record or its title | 14 |
| Nurse anesthetist (CRNA) | 9 |
| Paramedic / EMT | 7 |
| Pharmacy technician | 5 |
| Nurse practitioner / APRN | 2 |
| Surgical / OR technician | 2 |
| Dentist / oral surgery | 1 |
| Pharmacist | 1 |
From the Role field (19) or, where the record has none, the case title (148).
States with the most records
| State | Records |
|---|---|
| Iowa | 13 |
| New Hampshire | 11 |
| Colorado | 10 |
| Massachusetts | 10 |
| Oklahoma | 9 |
| Connecticut | 8 |
| South Dakota | 8 |
| Wisconsin | 8 |
44 states and territories in all; every state.
Settings involved
| Setting | Records |
|---|---|
| Hospital / health system | 101 |
| Other / not classified | 57 |
| Ambulatory surgery / OR | 9 |
| Emergency services / EMS | 4 |
| Dental / oral surgery | 2 |
| Fertility / reproductive | 2 |
| Home health / hospice | 1 |
| Long-term care | 1 |
| Retail pharmacy | 1 |
| No setting stated | 3 |
Other drugs and classes
Cases
Newest first · page 7 of 8, 151–175 of 181
- Hilo clinic physician and employees accused of unlawfully distributing opioids 2019-02 · Hilo, HI · Other / not classified
- Missouri Pharmacy Technician Sentenced in Controlled Substance Diversion Case (2019) 2019 · Missouri · Hospital / health system
- Idaho Nurse Sentenced in Controlled Substance Diversion Case (2019) 2019 · Idaho · Hospital / health system
- KU Hospital Pharmacy Tech Stole 483 Bags of Fentanyl 2018-12-10 · Kansas City, Kansas · Hospital / health system
- University of Michigan Health System Pays $4.3M in Record Drug Diversion Settlement 2018-08-30 · Ann Arbor, Michigan · Hospital / health system
- Pharmacy Technician Diverts Fentanyl at Iowa Methodist Medical Center 2018-07-10 · Des Moines, Iowa · Hospital / health system
- Pain clinic physician indicted for prescribing fentanyl, oxycodone and other controlled substances without patient examinations 2018-06 · Hamilton, OH · Other / not classified
- ED Nurse Transmits Hepatitis C to Patients at Good Samaritan Hospital 2018-05 · Puyallup, Washington · Hospital / health system
- North Colorado Medical Center Nurse Stole Opioids from Locked Dispensing System 2018-04-26 · Greeley, Colorado · Hospital / health system
- Denver VA and ER Nurse Tampered with Fentanyl Vials, Resealed with Skin Glue 2018-04-19 · Denver, Colorado · Hospital / health system
- UT Southwestern Pays $4.5M Over Staff Fentanyl Diversion and Two Nurse Overdose Deaths 2018-04 · Dallas, Texas · Hospital / health system
- UC San Diego anesthesiologist's license revoked after alleged sedative diversion and saline substitution 2018-04 · Hospital / health system
- North Carolina Nurse Charged in Opioid Diversion Case (2018) 2018 · North Carolina · Other / not classified
- Massachusetts Paramedic Pleads Guilty to Tampering with Ambulance Fentanyl 2017-06-22 · Rowley, Massachusetts · Emergency services / EMS
- Registered nurse accused of diverting hydromorphone at Memorial Hospital of Converse County by replacing it with saline 2017-06 · Douglas, WY · Hospital / health system
- Wayne hospital pharmacy technician indicted for stealing fentanyl from operating room dispensers 2017-06 · Hospital / health system
- Scottsdale Surgery Center Nurse Surrenders License After Diverting Fentanyl and Dilaudid 2017-05-02 · Scottsdale, AZ · Ambulatory surgery / OR
- California respiratory care practitioner surrendered license after being found with four fentanyl syringes not needed for work 2017-03-23
- MedStar Ambulance Paramedic Supervisor Charged with Tampering with Fentanyl and Morphine 2017-01-18 · O'Fallon, Illinois · Emergency services / EMS
- Traveling nurse surrendered license after admitting to stealing fentanyl from Massachusetts hospital 2017 · Newburyport, MA · Hospital / health system
- Casper physician suspended over alleged excessive painkiller prescriptions and oxycodone conspiracy 2016-12 · Casper, WY · Other / not classified
- Madison hospital nurse stole fentanyl vials 2015-08-19 · Madison, WI · Hospital / health system
- Hospital nurse diverted fentanyl from secure medication management stations 2015-05 · Madison, WI · Hospital / health system
- Maryland Physician Sentenced in Opioid Diversion Case (2014) 2014 · Maryland · Other / not classified
- Traveling Radiologic Technologist Sentenced for Fentanyl Diversion and Multistate Hepatitis C Outbreak — New Hampshire, 2013 2013-12-02 · Exeter, New Hampshire · Hospital / health system
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Disclaimer
Case summaries are based on public records (DOJ press releases, court documents, licensing-board orders, news reports). Charges are allegations unless a conviction is noted. Analysis is educational, not legal advice.
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