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 8 of 8, 176–181 of 181
- Psychiatrist found to have unlawfully possessed controlled substances taken back from patients and kept no required records 2013-09 · Albuquerque, NM · Other / not classified
- Surgical Technician Diverts Fentanyl, Triggers Multistate Hepatitis C Outbreak — Colorado, 2010 2010-02-24 · Denver, Colorado · Hospital / health system
- Utah Prescriber Faces License Action Over Opioid Diversion (2005) 2005 · Utah · Dental / oral surgery
- Registered nurse diverted morphine and fentanyl from Children's Hospital of Wisconsin stock or waste 2004-11 · Milwaukee County, Wisconsin · Hospital / health system
- Anesthesiologist placed on probation after being sanctioned for abusing fentanyl and Demerol 2003-07 · Los Angeles, CA · Other / not classified
- Children's Wisconsin nurse diverted morphine and fentanyl for self-administration 2000 · Other / not classified
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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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