Hydrocodone diversion cases
157 documented cases, 2007–2026.
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 hydrocodone; it also appears on the opioids page.
Monetary penalties stated
Median: $21,259.10
Smallest $500 · largest $2,600,000
Median of 26 amounts in US dollars (civil settlements and penalties, criminal fines, restitution, forfeiture) stated in 21 of 157 records. 136 records state no dollar amount.
Custodial sentences stated
Shortest: 6 months
Longest: 144 months (12 years)
32 prison or jail terms stated in 29 of 157 records. Probation, supervised release, home confinement and suspended terms are not counted.
Roles named in the records
| Role | Records |
|---|---|
| Pharmacy technician | 39 |
| Pharmacist | 32 |
| Nurse (role unspecified) | 27 |
| Physician / surgeon | 25 |
| Not stated in the record or its title | 21 |
| Nurse practitioner / APRN | 5 |
| Registered nurse (RN) | 4 |
| Licensed practical / vocational nurse | 1 |
| Nurse aide / assistant | 1 |
| Surgical / OR technician | 1 |
| Veterinarian | 1 |
From the Role field (43) or, where the record has none, the case title (93).
States with the most records
| State | Records |
|---|---|
| Illinois | 13 |
| Alabama | 8 |
| California | 8 |
| Kentucky | 7 |
| Mississippi | 7 |
| Hawaii | 6 |
| Iowa | 6 |
| Arkansas | 5 |
46 states and territories in all; every state.
Settings involved
| Setting | Records |
|---|---|
| Other / not classified | 70 |
| Retail pharmacy | 55 |
| Hospital / health system | 22 |
| Long-term care | 8 |
| No setting stated | 2 |
Other drugs and classes
Cases
Newest first · page 3 of 7, 51–75 of 157
- District of Columbia Physician Sentenced in Opioid Diversion Case (2023) 2023 · District of Columbia · Other / not classified
- California Physician Convicted in Opioid Diversion Case (2023) 2023 · California · Other / not classified
- Alabama Pharmacist Sentenced in Opioid Diversion Case (2023) 2023 · Alabama · Retail pharmacy
- Kentucky hospital agrees to $4.4 million civil penalty over recordkeeping that allowed pharmacy technician to divert 60,000 opioid doses 2022-12-08 · Hospital / health system
- Kentucky hospital pharmacy technician diverted over 60,000 opioid doses; hospital paid civil penalty 2022-12 · Hospital / health system
- Le Roy pharmacy technician pleaded guilty to diverting hydrocodone and other controlled substances 2022-11 · Retail pharmacy
- Traveling Nurse Sentenced for Diverting Opioids at Four Montana Facilities 2022-10-13 · Anaconda, Montana · Hospital / health system
- Registered nurse diverted oxycodone, hydrocodone/acetaminophen, and hydromorphone from patients at a Madison medical center 2022-10 · Madison, WI · Hospital / health system
- Eastern Idaho nurse practitioner consented to civil judgment over hydrocodone prescriptions written for a third party 2022-06-14 · Other / not classified
- Nursing home licensed practical nurse convicted of diverting 638 narcotics pills from residents 2022-06 · Georgiana, AL · Long-term care
- Dearborn physician pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute hydrocodone without medical necessity 2022-05-02 · Other / not classified
- Physician pleads guilty to illegally prescribing opioids and falsifying records at a Lake Milton medical office 2022-01 · Lake Milton, OH · Other / not classified
- Montana Nurse Sentenced in Opioid Diversion Case (2022) 2022 · Montana · Other / not classified
- Hawaii Physician Sentenced in Opioid Diversion Case (2022) 2022 · Hawaii · Other / not classified
- Alaska Physician Sentenced in Opioid Diversion Case (2022) 2022 · Alaska · Other / not classified
- VA Medical Center Pharmacy Chief Diverted Painkillers from Veterans' Prescriptions 2021-11-12 · Erie, Pennsylvania · Hospital / health system
- Nebraska City Nurse Diverted Thousands of Opioid Tablets from an Assisted-Living Facility 2021-10-20 · Nebraska City, NE · Other / not classified
- Carterville Nurse Diverted Hydrocodone at Disability Care Center 2021-09-16 · Carterville, Illinois · Other / not classified
- Dothan Pharmacy Owner Sentenced for Selling Opioids Without Prescriptions 2021-04-27 · Dothan, Alabama · Retail pharmacy
- Oklahoma physician, pharmacist and clinic owner sentenced over pre-signed prescription scheme 2021-02 · Retail pharmacy
- Assisted living facility nurse diverted Vicodin from a resident for personal use 2021-02 · Sturgeon Bay, WI · Other / not classified
- Michigan hospital network paid $7.75 million to settle allegations its pharmacies enabled opioid diversion 2021-01-20 · Retail pharmacy
- Washington Health Care Worker Faces License Action Over Controlled Substance Diversion (2021) 2021 · Washington · Retail pharmacy
- Louisiana Nurse Charged in Controlled Substance Diversion Case (2021) 2021 · Louisiana · Other / not classified
- Rawlins physician sentenced federally for dispensing medically unnecessary controlled substances 2020-12 · Rawlins, WY · 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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