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 3 of 24, 51–75 of 588
- Oklahoma Pharmacist Charged in Opioid Diversion Case (2026) 2026 · Oklahoma · Other / not classified
- Oklahoma Health Care Worker Charged in Opioid Diversion Case (2026) 2026 · Oklahoma · Ambulatory surgery / OR
- New York Physician Sentenced in Opioid Diversion Case (2026) 2026 · New York · Other / not classified
- New Jersey Pharmacist Sentenced in Opioid Diversion Case (2026) 2026 · New Jersey · Retail pharmacy
- North Carolina Nurse Charged in Controlled Substance Diversion Case (2026) 2026 · North Carolina · Other / not classified
- Kansas Nurse Sentenced in Opioid Diversion Case (2026) 2026 · Kansas · Other / not classified
- Indiana Pharmacist Charged in Opioid Diversion Case (2026) 2026 · Indiana · Other / not classified
- Florida Pharmacist Convicted in Opioid Diversion Case (2026) 2026 · Florida · Other / not classified
- South Carolina Unlicensed Caregiver Charged Over Care Facility Oxycodone Theft 2025-12-23 · Piedmont, South Carolina · Other / not classified
- Appleton Nurse Practitioner Sentenced for Unlawful Opioid Prescribing Scheme 2025-12-18 · Appleton, Wisconsin
- Nursing Director Pleads Guilty to Tampering With Fentanyl at Montana Health Center 2025-12-16 · Jordan, Montana · Other / not classified
- Lawton pharmacy technician charged after hydrocodone tablets found spilling from clothing 2025-12-03 · Retail pharmacy
- Unlicensed Director of Nursing at Cherrydale Post Acute charged with stealing oxycodone from a person 2025-12 · Greenville, SC · Other / not classified
- New Hampshire emergency department nurse pleaded guilty after keeping partial opioid doses 2025-12 · Hospital / health system
- Nurse Anesthetist Diverted Fentanyl Waste for Months While AI Surveillance Missed It (Erlanger Baroness) 2025-12 · Chattanooga, Tennessee · Ambulatory surgery / OR
- Emergency Room Nurse Sentenced for Tampering With Fentanyl Vials at Michigan Hospital 2025-11-25 · Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan · Hospital / health system
- Anchorage Nurse Practitioner Sentenced for Prescribing Opioids Without Medical Purpose 2025-11-14 · Anchorage, Alaska
- Massachusetts Hospice Nurse Indicted for Swapping Dementia Patient's Oxycodone with Household Cleaner 2025-11-02 · Amesbury, Massachusetts · Long-term care
- Nurse anesthetist at a Chattanooga hospital admitted diverting leftover fentanyl from surgeries, state consent order says 2025-11 · Chattanooga, TN · Hospital / health system
- Hospital lead pharmacy technician diverted Oxycodone by substituting Fludrocortisone during prepackaging for automated dispensing system 2025-11 · Hospital / health system
- Agency affiliated counselor alleged to have ingested unprescribed methadone while transporting clients 2025-11 · Other / not classified
- California pharmacist applicant filled hydrocodone prescription issued without a prescriber-patient relationship 2025-10-15 · Retail pharmacy
- Licensed practical nurse accused of stealing oxycodone from a resident at Simpsonville Post Acute 2025-10 · Simpsonville, SC · Other / not classified
- Houston Cash-Only Pharmacy Owner and Three Pharmacists Sentenced for Pill Mill Scheme 2025-09-25 · Houston, Texas · Retail pharmacy
- Chicago pharmacy settles federal Controlled Substances Act claims after technician hydrocodone thefts 2025-09-15 · Retail pharmacy
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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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