Opioid diversion cases
588 documented cases, 1983–2026.
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 a opioid (buprenorphine, codeine, fentanyl, hydrocodone, hydromorphone, meperidine, methadone, morphine, oxycodone, sufentanil, tramadol).
Monetary penalties stated
Median: $27,250
Smallest $400 · largest $4,500,000
Median of 84 amounts in US dollars (civil settlements and penalties, criminal fines, restitution, forfeiture) stated in 74 of 588 records. 514 records state no dollar amount.
Custodial sentences stated
Shortest: 1 month
Longest: 468 months (39 years)
133 prison or jail terms stated in 130 of 588 records. Probation, supervised release, home confinement and suspended terms are not counted.
Roles named in the records
| Role | Records |
|---|---|
| Nurse (role unspecified) | 215 |
| Pharmacist | 75 |
| Pharmacy technician | 72 |
| Physician / surgeon | 68 |
| Not stated in the record or its title | 67 |
| Registered nurse (RN) | 41 |
| Licensed practical / vocational nurse | 11 |
| Nurse anesthetist (CRNA) | 10 |
| Nurse practitioner / APRN | 8 |
| Paramedic / EMT | 8 |
| Dentist / oral surgery | 4 |
| Nurse aide / assistant | 3 |
| Surgical / OR technician | 3 |
| Veterinarian | 3 |
From the Role field (105) or, where the record has none, the case title (416).
States with the most records
| State | Records |
|---|---|
| Massachusetts | 26 |
| New York | 24 |
| Maryland | 21 |
| Illinois | 19 |
| Florida | 18 |
| Iowa | 18 |
| Michigan | 17 |
| Connecticut | 16 |
52 states and territories in all; every state.
Settings involved
| Setting | Records |
|---|---|
| Other / not classified | 235 |
| Hospital / health system | 199 |
| Retail pharmacy | 100 |
| Long-term care | 19 |
| Ambulatory surgery / OR | 9 |
| Dental / oral surgery | 6 |
| Emergency services / EMS | 5 |
| Home health / hospice | 5 |
| Fertility / reproductive | 2 |
| No setting stated | 8 |
Drugs named
| Drug | Records |
|---|---|
| oxycodone | 248 |
| fentanyl | 181 |
| hydrocodone | 157 |
| hydromorphone | 124 |
| morphine | 87 |
| alprazolam | 31 |
| methadone | 23 |
| tramadol | 23 |
| codeine | 16 |
| amphetamine | 14 |
| meperidine | 14 |
| lorazepam | 11 |
| midazolam | 9 |
| propofol | 5 |
| ketamine | 4 |
| buprenorphine | 2 |
| methylphenidate | 2 |
| sufentanil | 2 |
| phenobarbital | 1 |
| testosterone | 1 |
A record naming two drugs counts under both.
Other drugs and classes
Cases
Newest first · page 13 of 24, 301–325 of 588
- DC emergency nurse's diversion surfaced by automated dispensing cabinet audit 2022-01-14 · Washington, DC · Hospital / health system
- Physician pleads guilty to illegally prescribing opioids and falsifying records at a Lake Milton medical office 2022-01 · Lake Milton, OH · Other / not classified
- South Carolina Nurse Sentenced in Opioid Diversion Case (2022) 2022 · South Carolina · Other / not classified
- South Carolina Nurse Charged in Opioid Diversion Case (2022) 2022 · South Carolina · Hospital / health system
- Montana Nurse Sentenced in Opioid Diversion Case (2022, case 2) 2022 · Montana · Other / not classified
- Montana Nurse Sentenced in Opioid Diversion Case (2022) 2022 · Montana · Other / not classified
- Maryland Prescriber Convicted in Opioid Diversion Case (2022) 2022 · Maryland · Other / not classified
- Louisiana Prescriber Charged in Controlled Substance Diversion Case (2022) 2022 · Louisiana · Other / not classified
- Iowa Nurse Sentenced in Opioid Diversion Case (2022) 2022 · Iowa · Ambulatory surgery / OR
- Hawaii Physician Sentenced in Opioid Diversion Case (2022) 2022 · Hawaii · Other / not classified
- Hawaii Physician Convicted in Opioid Diversion Case (2022) 2022 · Hawaii · Other / not classified
- Hawaii Nurse Charged in Controlled Substance Diversion Case (2022) 2022 · Hawaii · Hospital / health system
- Georgia Pharmacist Sentenced in Controlled Substance Diversion Case (2022) 2022 · Georgia · Other / not classified
- Connecticut Nurse Sentenced in Opioid Diversion Case (2022) 2022 · Connecticut · Other / not classified
- Colorado Nurse Sentenced in Opioid Diversion Case (2022) 2022 · Colorado · Other / not classified
- Arizona Prescriber Charged in Opioid Diversion Case (2022) 2022 · Arizona · Other / not classified
- Alabama Physician Sentenced in Opioid Diversion Case (2022) 2022 · Alabama · Other / not classified
- Alaska Physician Sentenced in Opioid Diversion Case (2022) 2022 · Alaska · Other / not classified
- Vermont dental practice employee conspired to forge oxycodone prescriptions 2021-12-20 · Dental / oral surgery
- Confluence Health Clinic Nurse Tampered with Morphine Vials 2021-12-07 · Moses Lake, Washington · Other / not classified
- South Jersey hospital system settles DEA allegations after 400 oxycodone tablets reported lost or stolen 2021-12 · Hospital / health system
- 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
- DC nurse diverted oxycodone from a rehabilitation hospital 2021-11-23 · Washington, DC · Hospital / health system
- VA Medical Center Pharmacy Chief Diverted Painkillers from Veterans' Prescriptions 2021-11-12 · Erie, Pennsylvania · 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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