Morphine diversion cases
87 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 morphine; it also appears on the opioids page.
Monetary penalties stated
Median: $3,500
Smallest $400 · largest $44,000
Median of 10 amounts in US dollars (civil settlements and penalties, criminal fines, restitution, forfeiture) stated in 8 of 87 records. 79 records state no dollar amount.
Custodial sentences stated
Shortest: 3 months
Longest: 111 months
28 prison or jail terms stated in 28 of 87 records. Probation, supervised release, home confinement and suspended terms are not counted.
Roles named in the records
| Role | Records |
|---|---|
| Nurse (role unspecified) | 51 |
| Pharmacist | 8 |
| Registered nurse (RN) | 7 |
| Not stated in the record or its title | 6 |
| Physician / surgeon | 6 |
| Licensed practical / vocational nurse | 3 |
| Pharmacy technician | 3 |
| Paramedic / EMT | 2 |
| Nurse anesthetist (CRNA) | 1 |
From the Role field (12) or, where the record has none, the case title (69).
States with the most records
| State | Records |
|---|---|
| Massachusetts | 10 |
| Iowa | 6 |
| Indiana | 5 |
| Illinois | 4 |
| Maryland | 4 |
| Wisconsin | 4 |
| Colorado | 3 |
| Connecticut | 3 |
37 states and territories in all; every state.
Settings involved
| Setting | Records |
|---|---|
| Hospital / health system | 39 |
| Other / not classified | 32 |
| Long-term care | 6 |
| Retail pharmacy | 5 |
| Emergency services / EMS | 2 |
| Home health / hospice | 2 |
| No setting stated | 1 |
Other drugs and classes
Cases
Newest first · page 2 of 4, 26–50 of 87
- Iowa Nurse Pleads Guilty to Diverting Fentanyl from Waterloo Hospital via False Wasting 2023-10-11 · Waterloo, Iowa · Hospital / health system
- VA nurse pleaded guilty to stealing fentanyl, morphine and hydromorphone 2023-10 · Aurora, CO · Hospital / health system
- Sioux City Nurse Pleads Guilty to Stealing Opioids from Hospital Employer 2023-08-31 · Sioux City, Iowa · Hospital / health system
- Raleigh-Area Nurse Sentenced for Tampering with Surgical Patients' Painkillers 2023-05-22 · Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina · Other / not classified
- Surgical practice nurse sentenced for tampering with fentanyl, morphine, and meperidine and replacing them with saline 2023-05 · Raleigh, NC · Other / not classified
- Chicago-Area Rehab Center Nursing Director Pleads Guilty to Diluting Patients' Morphine 2023-04-11 · Chicago, Illinois · Other / not classified
- Missoula Hospital Nurse Sentenced for Diverting Opioids Flagged by Distribution Audit 2023-03-22 · Missoula, Montana · Hospital / health system
- Massachusetts Nursing Home Nurse Sentenced for Diluting a Dementia Patient's Morphine 2023-01-13 · Northborough, Massachusetts · Long-term care
- South Dakota Pharmacist Sentenced in Opioid Diversion Case (2023) 2023 · South Dakota · Hospital / health system
- Indiana Nurse Sentenced in Controlled Substance Diversion Case (2023) 2023 · Indiana · Other / not classified
- Central Pennsylvania hospital nurse charged with diverting morphine from an emergency department 2022-12-13 · 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
- Missouri Nurse License Revoked Over Hospital Opioid Diversion and Unauthorized Badge Access 2022-07-05 · St. Louis, Missouri · Hospital / health system
- Worcester County Nursing Home Nurse Pleads Guilty to Tampering With a Dementia Patient's Morphine 2022-03-08 · Northborough, Massachusetts · Long-term care
- South Carolina Nurse Charged in Opioid Diversion Case (2022) 2022 · South Carolina · Hospital / health system
- Confluence Health Clinic Nurse Tampered with Morphine Vials 2021-12-07 · Moses Lake, Washington · Other / not classified
- 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
- Lowell Nursing Home Nurse Diverted Hospice Patients' Liquid Morphine 2021-04-09 · Lowell, Massachusetts · Long-term care
- Westfield Nursing Facility Nurse Diluted Hospice Patient's Morphine 2021-03-30 · Westfield, Massachusetts · Other / not classified
- VA Hospice Nurse Sentenced for Diluting Dying Veterans' Morphine 2021-02-24 · Bedford, Massachusetts · Hospital / health system
- Oklahoma physician, pharmacist and clinic owner sentenced over pre-signed prescription scheme 2021-02 · Retail pharmacy
- Pennsylvania Nurse Charged in Opioid Diversion Case (2021) 2021 · Pennsylvania · Other / not classified
- Louisiana Nurse Charged in Controlled Substance Diversion Case (2021) 2021 · Louisiana · Other / not classified
- Nurse Sentenced to 5 Years for Tampering with Hospice Patient's Morphine 2020-09-14 · Danvers / Amesbury, Massachusetts · Other / not classified
← Back to page 1 · ← All drugs and drug classes · Cases by state · Filter these cases in the case database · Check your own controls with the free assessment
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.
Would your controls have caught these?
The free self-assessment scores your own controls: 8 sections, 63 weighted items, a score for each section, and a PDF you can take to your committee. No account or login.
Start the free assessment