What Happened
Nelson Onaro, a physician from McAlester, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty in February 2023 in the Eastern District of Oklahoma to one count of unlawful distribution and dispensing of a controlled substance. A federal grand jury had initially charged him in September 2020 with twenty-four counts. At the hearing, Onaro admitted writing an Adderall prescription for a staff member, understanding that the staff member would fill it and return the pills to him for his personal use. Under the plea agreement he agreed to surrender his Oklahoma medical license. He was released on a personal recognizance bond pending sentencing.
“Onaro admitted to writing a prescription for the controlled substance Adderall for one of his staff members”
Related Guidance
- 15 Red Flags of Drug Diversion — Behavioral and transactional indicators of diversion.
- Investigation Playbook — How to investigate suspected diversion inside an organization.