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 20 of 24, 476–500 of 588
- Registered nurse accused of diverting hydromorphone at Memorial Hospital of Converse County by replacing it with saline 2017-06 · Douglas, WY · Hospital / health system
- Wayne hospital pharmacy technician indicted for stealing fentanyl from operating room dispensers 2017-06 · Hospital / health system
- Metro Jackson Hospital Nurse Charged With Embezzling Opioids 2017-05-24 · Hospital / health system
- Scottsdale Surgery Center Nurse Surrenders License After Diverting Fentanyl and Dilaudid 2017-05-02 · Scottsdale, AZ · Ambulatory surgery / OR
- Hospital nurse accused of embezzling Dilaudid and morphine for diversion 2017-05 · Jackson, MS · Hospital / health system
- California respiratory care practitioner surrendered license after being found with four fentanyl syringes not needed for work 2017-03-23
- VA Hospital Pharmacy Employees Charged with Stealing and Selling Opioids 2017-02-08 · Little Rock, Arkansas · Hospital / health system
- Minnesota pharmacist diverted hydrocodone, zolpidem and tramadol for years and altered records; license suspended indefinitely 2017-02 · Other / not classified
- MedStar Ambulance Paramedic Supervisor Charged with Tampering with Fentanyl and Morphine 2017-01-18 · O'Fallon, Illinois · Emergency services / EMS
- Traveling nurse surrendered license after admitting to stealing fentanyl from Massachusetts hospital 2017 · Newburyport, MA · Hospital / health system
- Missouri Physician Convicted in Opioid Diversion Case (2017) 2017 · Missouri · Other / not classified
- Michigan Physician Convicted in Opioid Diversion Case (2017, case 2) 2017 · Michigan · Other / not classified
- Michigan Physician Convicted in Opioid Diversion Case (2017) 2017 · Michigan · Other / not classified
- New Mexico pharmacy technician pleaded guilty after oxycodone theft report from Carlsbad pharmacy 2016-12-20 · Retail pharmacy
- Carlsbad Pharmacy Technician Pleads Guilty to Stealing Oxycodone 2016-12-20 · Carlsbad, New Mexico · Retail pharmacy
- Casper physician suspended over alleged excessive painkiller prescriptions and oxycodone conspiracy 2016-12 · Casper, WY · Other / not classified
- Illinois nursing home nurse diverted hydrocodone by falsely recording resident requests 2016-10-17 · Long-term care
- MedStar Georgetown University Hospital Employee Charged with Forging Oxycodone Prescriptions 2016-10-12 · Washington, DC · Hospital / health system
- Illinois emergency room nurse diverted hydromorphone from Pekin hospital 2016-10-06 · Hospital / health system
- New Jersey hospital nurse reprimanded after hydromorphone ampules found tampered with 2016-10 · Hospital / health system
- DC hospital administrative assistant indicted over forged prescriptions for 600 oxycodone pills 2016-10 · Hospital / health system
- New Mexico pharmacy technician charged federally after 20,000-plus oxycodone tablets reported stolen 2016-09-23 · Retail pharmacy
- New Haven man pleaded guilty in fraudulent oxycodone prescription ring that used runners at Connecticut pharmacies 2016-06-16 · Other / not classified
- New Haven oxycodone ring used forged prescriptions and stolen prescriber identities 2016-06-16 · Other / not classified
- Nurse diverted hydromorphone from an automated dispensing cabinet system at place of employment 2016-04 · 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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