What Happened
Barbara Marino, M.D., 65, of Tomball, Texas, was convicted by a federal jury in the Southern District of Texas in May 2026. She was the sole prescribing physician at Angels Clinica, a cash-only Houston clinic, where she prescribed oxycodone, hydrocodone and carisoprodol. Prosecutors said many patients were brought by street-level dealers who filled the prescriptions and sold the pills, and that she received more than $400,000 from the clinic's owners in under a year. The jury convicted her of one conspiracy count and four counts of distribution. Each count carries up to 20 years, and sentencing is pending.
“The jury convicted Marino of one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and four counts of distributing a controlled substance.”
Related Guidance
- 15 Red Flags of Drug Diversion — Behavioral and transactional indicators of diversion.
- Investigation Playbook — How to investigate suspected diversion inside an organization.