Prescriber drug diversion cases
134 documented cases, 1997–2026.
Figures are derived from the 931 case records collected on this site, not from any official total. A record counts here when its Role field, or failing that its title, names one of these roles: 20 from the Role field, 114 from the title.
Roles counted: Physician / surgeon (124) · Dentist / oral surgery (6) · Veterinarian (4).
Monetary penalties stated
Median: $100,000
Smallest $5,000 · largest $956,709
Median of 22 amounts in US dollars (civil settlements and penalties, criminal fines, restitution, forfeiture) stated in 20 of 134 records. 114 records state no dollar amount.
Custodial sentences stated
Shortest: 12 months
Longest: 276 months (23 years)
37 prison or jail terms stated in 37 of 134 records. Probation, supervised release, home confinement and suspended terms are not counted.
Drug classes involved
| Drug class | Records |
|---|---|
| Opioids | 75 |
| Other controlled substance | 53 |
| Benzodiazepines | 10 |
| Stimulants | 9 |
| Anesthetics / sedatives | 4 |
| Anabolic steroids | 1 |
| No drug stated | 2 |
A record naming drugs from two classes counts in both.
States with the most records
| State | Records |
|---|---|
| Maryland | 22 |
| New York | 9 |
| Ohio | 9 |
| Pennsylvania | 9 |
| California | 7 |
| Michigan | 7 |
| Hawaii | 5 |
| Illinois | 4 |
36 states and territories in all; every state.
Settings involved
| Setting | Records |
|---|---|
| Other / not classified | 112 |
| Hospital / health system | 13 |
| Dental / oral surgery | 6 |
| No setting stated | 3 |
Other roles
Cases
Newest first · page 6 of 6, 126–134 of 134
- Physician assistant's certification revoked after guilty plea to illegally distributing oxycodone 2004-01 · Montgomery, PA · Other / not classified
- Family practice physician's license revoked after ingesting morphine in violation of probation 2004-01 · Catonsville, MD · Other / not classified
- Anesthesiologist placed on probation after being sanctioned for abusing fentanyl and Demerol 2003-07 · Los Angeles, CA · Other / not classified
- Physician assistant self-prescribed narcotic analgesics and benzodiazepines while addicted to opiates 2000-03 · Baltimore, MD · Other / not classified
- Physician assistant applicant found guilty by court-martial of self-prescribing controlled substances and prescribing them for his spouse without authorization 1999-12 · Virginia Beach, VA · Other / not classified
- Psychiatrist in Salisbury, MD, reprimanded for writing controlled dangerous substance prescriptions for himself under others' names 1999-08 · Salisbury, MD · Other / not classified
- Physician wrote prescriptions in patients' names and diverted the controlled substance for personal use 1999-04 · Kensington, MD · Other / not classified
- Physician pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining diazepam 1997-05 · Brownsville, TX · Other / not classified
- Family practice physician convicted of illegally distributing stimulants and dispensing controlled substances 1997-04 · Potomac, MD · 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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