Hydromorphone diversion cases
124 documented cases, 2001–2026.
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 hydromorphone; it also appears on the opioids page.
Monetary penalties stated
Median: $5,129.10
Smallest $1,000 · largest $4,360,000
Median of 14 amounts in US dollars (civil settlements and penalties, criminal fines, restitution, forfeiture) stated in 13 of 124 records. 111 records state no dollar amount.
Custodial sentences stated
Shortest: 3 months
Longest: 60 months (5 years)
29 prison or jail terms stated in 29 of 124 records. Probation, supervised release, home confinement and suspended terms are not counted.
Roles named in the records
| Role | Records |
|---|---|
| Nurse (role unspecified) | 71 |
| Pharmacist | 14 |
| Registered nurse (RN) | 14 |
| Physician / surgeon | 9 |
| Pharmacy technician | 6 |
| Licensed practical / vocational nurse | 2 |
| Not stated in the record or its title | 2 |
| Nurse anesthetist (CRNA) | 2 |
| Paramedic / EMT | 2 |
| Nurse practitioner / APRN | 1 |
| Veterinarian | 1 |
From the Role field (21) or, where the record has none, the case title (101).
States with the most records
| State | Records |
|---|---|
| Indiana | 7 |
| Connecticut | 6 |
| Florida | 6 |
| Minnesota | 6 |
| Massachusetts | 5 |
| Michigan | 5 |
| North Carolina | 5 |
| Oklahoma | 5 |
39 states and territories in all; every state.
Settings involved
| Setting | Records |
|---|---|
| Hospital / health system | 74 |
| Other / not classified | 29 |
| Retail pharmacy | 14 |
| Emergency services / EMS | 2 |
| Home health / hospice | 2 |
| Ambulatory surgery / OR | 1 |
| No setting stated | 2 |
Other drugs and classes
Cases
Newest first · page 3 of 5, 51–75 of 124
- CVS pharmacy manager diverted hydromorphone tablets and liquid solution for personal use; license revoked 2023-06 · Berlin, VT · Retail pharmacy
- Missoula Hospital Nurse Sentenced for Diverting Opioids Flagged by Distribution Audit 2023-03-22 · Missoula, Montana · Hospital / health system
- Kansas hospital nurse sentenced for tampering with fentanyl and hydromorphone vials 2023-03-13 · Hospital / health system
- Kansas Nurse Sentenced for Tampering with Fentanyl and Hydromorphone Vials 2023-03-13 · Overland Park, Kansas · Hospital / health system
- North Carolina Nurse Charged in Opioid Diversion Case (2023) 2023 · North Carolina · Other / not classified
- Michigan Nurse Sentenced in Opioid Diversion Case (2023) 2023 · Michigan · Other / not classified
- Massachusetts Nurse Sentenced in Opioid Diversion Case (2023, case 2) 2023 · Massachusetts · Other / not classified
- Indiana Nurse Sentenced in Controlled Substance Diversion Case (2023) 2023 · Indiana · Other / not classified
- Vermont chain pharmacy manager diluted hydromorphone oral solution and falsified inventory records 2022-11 · Retail pharmacy
- Former Nurse Pleads Guilty to Diverting Opioids From Two Boston-Area Hospitals 2022-10-04 · Boston, Massachusetts · 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
- Butte Hospital Nurse Sentenced for Diverting Hydromorphone Cartridges 2022-09-08 · Butte, Montana · Hospital / health system
- Detroit Hospital Nurse Pleads Guilty to Tampering With Critical Care Patients' Hydromorphone 2022-08-30 · Detroit, Michigan · Hospital / health system
- Missouri Nurse License Revoked Over Hospital Opioid Diversion and Unauthorized Badge Access 2022-07-05 · St. Louis, Missouri · Hospital / health system
- North Carolina Hospital Nurse Sentenced for Tampering With Hydromorphone Vials 2022-06-01 · Winston-Salem, North Carolina · Hospital / health system
- Missoula Hospital Nurse Sentenced for Diverting Fentanyl and Hydromorphone 2022-04-26 · Missoula, Montana · Hospital / health system
- Danville Hospital Nurse Sentenced for Tampering with Fentanyl and Hydromorphone 2022-03-04 · Danville, Virginia · Other / not classified
- Montana Nurse Sentenced in Opioid Diversion Case (2022, case 2) 2022 · Montana · Other / not classified
- Contract nurse at Winston-Salem hospital diverted hydromorphone and replaced it with saline 2021-12 · Winston-Salem, NC · Hospital / health system
- Colorado Nurse Sentenced Over Fake Research-Study Hydromorphone Diversion 2021-12 · Colorado · Hospital / health system
- Ann Arbor VA Nurse Anesthetist Stole 2,000+ Vials of Opioids 2021-11-09 · Ann Arbor, Michigan · Hospital / health system
- Southeast Missouri medical center paid $1.6 million to resolve invalid opioid prescribing claims 2021-09-01 · Hospital / health system
- Florida emergency room nurse accused of diverting hydromorphone after syringes found in work bag; probable cause panel dismissed case 2021-09 · Hospital / health system
- Intermountain Healthcare Nurse Tampered with Hydromorphone Syringes 2021-07-23 · Salt Lake City, Utah · Hospital / health system
- Hospital nurse convicted of diverting hydromorphone from pre-loaded syringes and replacing it with saline 2021-07 · Sandy, UT · 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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