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 15 of 24, 351–375 of 588
- Assisted living facility nurse diverted Vicodin from a resident for personal use 2021-02 · Sturgeon Bay, WI · Other / not classified
- Roanoke Pharmacist Sentenced for Tampering with Hydromorphone Vials 2021-01-29 · Roanoke, Virginia · Other / not classified
- Michigan hospital network paid $7.75 million to settle allegations its pharmacies enabled opioid diversion 2021-01-20 · Retail pharmacy
- Rural Pennsylvania hospital pharmacy technician charged after 2,100 oxycodone tablets went missing 2021-01 · Hospital / health system
- Washington Health Care Worker Faces License Action Over Controlled Substance Diversion (2021) 2021 · Washington · Retail pharmacy
- Utah Nurse Sentenced in Opioid Diversion Case (2021) 2021 · Utah · Other / not classified
- Tennessee Physician Convicted in Opioid Diversion Case (2021) 2021 · Tennessee · Other / not classified
- Pennsylvania Nurse Charged in Opioid Diversion Case (2021) 2021 · Pennsylvania · Other / not classified
- New York Physician Sentenced in Opioid Diversion Case (2021, case 2) 2021 · New York · Other / not classified
- New York Physician Sentenced in Opioid Diversion Case (2021) 2021 · New York · Other / not classified
- New York Health Care Worker Sentenced in Opioid Diversion Case (2021) 2021 · New York · Retail pharmacy
- Maryland Prescriber Sentenced in Opioid Diversion Case (2021) 2021 · Maryland · Other / not classified
- Maryland Pharmacist Sentenced in Opioid Diversion Case (2021) 2021 · Maryland · Other / not classified
- 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
- Southwest Michigan nurse summarily suspended over alleged fentanyl-for-saline substitution 2020-10-28 · Other / not classified
- Maui physician charged with unlawful distribution of hydrocodone after undercover visits 2020-10-08 · Other / not classified
- Nursing Home Nurse Pleads Guilty to Tampering with Hospice Patient's Oxycodone 2020-10-02 · Dighton, Massachusetts · Other / not classified
- Minnesota pharmacy technician shorted patient prescriptions of oxycodone-acetaminophen; registration revoked 2020-10 · Retail pharmacy
- Paramedic Stole and Diluted Ambulance Fentanyl and Hydromorphone 2020-09-17 · Carthage / Mount Vernon, Missouri · Emergency services / EMS
- Buffalo-Area Medical Office Manager Sentenced for Stealing Controlled Substances via Forged Prescriptions 2020-09-17 · Buffalo, New York · Other / not classified
- Nurse Sentenced to 5 Years for Tampering with Hospice Patient's Morphine 2020-09-14 · Danvers / Amesbury, Massachusetts · Other / not classified
- Montana Pharmacist Pleads Guilty to Filling Fraudulent Opioid Prescriptions for Himself 2020-07-30 · Ennis, Montana · Retail pharmacy
- Walgreens pharmacy technician diverted Norco 10 and Norco 7.5 2020-07 · Retail pharmacy
- Pharmacy technician diverted OxyContin from AccuDose machines at Baptist Medical Center 2020-07 · 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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