Tramadol diversion cases
23 documented cases, 2016–2026.
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 tramadol; it also appears on the opioids page.
Monetary penalties stated
Median: $125,000
Smallest $593 · largest $300,000
Median of 3 amounts in US dollars (civil settlements and penalties, criminal fines, restitution, forfeiture) stated in 3 of 23 records. 20 records state no dollar amount.
Custodial sentences stated
Shortest: 1 month
Longest: 60 months (5 years)
3 prison or jail terms stated in 3 of 23 records. Probation, supervised release, home confinement and suspended terms are not counted.
Roles named in the records
| Role | Records |
|---|---|
| Nurse (role unspecified) | 6 |
| Pharmacist | 5 |
| Physician / surgeon | 4 |
| Not stated in the record or its title | 2 |
| Registered nurse (RN) | 2 |
| Licensed practical / vocational nurse | 1 |
| Nurse practitioner / APRN | 1 |
| Pharmacy technician | 1 |
| Veterinarian | 1 |
From the Role field (2) or, where the record has none, the case title (19).
States with the most records
| State | Records |
|---|---|
| Wyoming | 3 |
| California | 2 |
| Iowa | 2 |
| Ohio | 2 |
| South Carolina | 2 |
| Alaska | 1 |
| Alabama | 1 |
| District of Columbia | 1 |
17 states and territories in all; every state.
Settings involved
| Setting | Records |
|---|---|
| Other / not classified | 14 |
| Hospital / health system | 4 |
| Retail pharmacy | 3 |
| Long-term care | 2 |
Other drugs and classes
Cases
Newest first
- Fort Walton Beach Gastroenterologist Pays $300,000 to Settle Controlled Substances Act Prescribing Allegations 2026-09-21 · Fort Walton Beach, Florida · Other / not classified
- Registered nurse removed fentanyl from medication safe without order or documentation and failed to document controlled substance administration/wasting; license revoked 2026-04 · Hospital / health system
- Rehabilitation center nurse accused of stealing patients' painkillers and drug logs 2026-03 · Sandy, UT · Other / not classified
- Pharmacist Sentenced for Diverting Controlled Substances From Mason City Pharmacies 2025-06-17 · Mason City, Iowa · Other / not classified
- South Carolina Practical Nurse Charged Over Nursing Home Tramadol Theft 2025-03-18 · Myrtle Beach, South Carolina · Other / not classified
- Nursing home nurse accused of stealing Tramadol and oxycodone/acetaminophen from residents 2025-03 · Myrtle Beach, SC · Other / not classified
- Ohio Pharmacist Sentenced in Controlled Substance Diversion Case (2025) 2025 · Ohio · Other / not classified
- Valley Center Veterinary Clinic Pays $125,000 Over Controlled-Substance Mishandling 2024-01-17 · Valley Center, California · Other / not classified
- Pharmacist-in-charge diverted hydrocodone and tramadol powder from a pharmacy controlled-substance safe; Maryland license revoked 2023-07 · Retail pharmacy
- Registered nurse diverted oxycodone, hydrocodone/acetaminophen, and hydromorphone from patients at a Madison medical center 2022-10 · Madison, WI · Hospital / health system
- Nursing home licensed practical nurse convicted of diverting 638 narcotics pills from residents 2022-06 · Georgiana, AL · Long-term care
- DC emergency nurse's diversion surfaced by automated dispensing cabinet audit 2022-01-14 · Washington, DC · Hospital / health system
- Nebraska City Nurse Diverted Thousands of Opioid Tablets from an Assisted-Living Facility 2021-10-20 · Nebraska City, NE · Other / not classified
- Fontana pharmacy technician's registration revoked over diversion of 117 tramadol tablets 2021-04-26 · Hospital / health system
- Washington Health Care Worker Faces License Action Over Controlled Substance Diversion (2021) 2021 · Washington · Retail pharmacy
- Rawlins physician sentenced federally for dispensing medically unnecessary controlled substances 2020-12 · Rawlins, WY · Other / not classified
- Anchorage nurse practitioner charged with manslaughter and drug distribution for opioid prescriptions without office visits 2020-03 · Anchorage, AK · Other / not classified
- Rawlins physician charged with prescribing oxycodone and other controlled substances outside legitimate medical practice 2020-02 · Rawlins, WY · Other / not classified
- Iowa Nursing Home Nurse Sentenced for Stealing Patients' Pain Medication 2020-01-28 · Manchester, Iowa · Long-term care
- Pharmacist stole Schedule IV controlled substances from Institutional Care Pharmacy 2019-11 · Tiffin, OH · Retail pharmacy
- Physician at Green Mountain Family Medicine diverted controlled substances by writing staff members' prescriptions for personal and family use 2019-05 · Rutland and White River Junction, VT · Other / not classified
- Minnesota pharmacist diverted hydrocodone, zolpidem and tramadol for years and altered records; license suspended indefinitely 2017-02 · Other / not classified
- Casper physician suspended over alleged excessive painkiller prescriptions and oxycodone conspiracy 2016-12 · Casper, WY · 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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