News Articles

Man Selling Counterfeit Pills Containing Fentanyl on Social Media Receives 21-Year Sentence

posted 5 days ago

MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Jayden Isaiah Stephon Gill, 22, of Hagerstown, Maryland, was sentenced today to 260 months in prison for selling fentanyl-laced pills online, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey. Officers in Frederick, Maryland, responded to a suspected overdose of two juvenile females and located blue pills imprinted to mimic Oxycodone prescription medication. The pills were analyzed and were found to contain fentanyl. The investigation led to Gill who traveled from Martinsburg, West Virginia to Frederick, Maryland, to sell the pills which the females believed to be Percocet and ordered from Gill’s social media accounts. Gill, along with ...

Moody announces new legislation cracking down on equipment used to make fake pills

posted 5 days ago

MIAMI — U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody announced new legislation Monday aimed at cracking down on counterfeit drugs. It’s called the “Press Act,” and it would create criminal penalties for illegally importing pill presses -- the equipment used to make fake pills that often end up on our streets. Read Article S.4446 - A bill to amend the Controlled Substances Act to prevent the importation of illicit pill press machines with the intent to counterfeit substances, and for other purposes. #PillPress #NewLegislation #Counterfeit

Texas Man Pleads Guilty to Selling Over $8 Million of Dangerous Recreational Drugs Known as “Poppers” That Were Mislabeled as Tape Cleaner

posted 8 days ago

A Texas man pleaded guilty yesterday to two counts of criminal conspiracy related to misbranding volatile alkyl nitrites, known by their street name as “poppers,” and selling them as inhalants in violation of federal law. Although the labeling for poppers products often misleadingly claims they are sold as cleaning agents, poppers are commonly misused for recreational purposes by being inhaled through the nose. Critically, misuse of volatile alkyl nitrates can cause serious adverse health effects, including irregular heartbeat, vision loss, and death. “The defendant helped sell more than $8 million of dangerous drugs misbranded as cleaning agents, while concealing ...

What is cychlorphine? Fake oxycodone pills may hide deadly synthetic opioids

posted 8 days ago

Crime lab says the drug has been found in fake oxycodone pills across multiple jurisdictions A new synthetic opioid detected in north Louisiana is raising concern among crime lab officials because of its strength and the way it is being disguised. Read Full Article #Louisiana #EmergingDrugTrends #Cychlorphine #SafetyAlerts

Report: 1 in 5 consumers deceived into buying fake meds

posted 10 days ago

Summary Why this matters: Counterfeit medications are a serious, widespread health risk: Fake drugs are common — especially online — and can contain ineffective or dangerous ingredients that cause illness, injury or death. Consumers often don’t know they’re at risk: Many people trust online pharmacies and feel confident in being able to spot fakes, even though most illegal sellers look legitimate and are hard to detect. Prevention depends on smarter communication: Fear‑based warnings often backfire; empowering, clear and targeted education is more effective at helping people protect their health. Read Article ...

OBN arrests pharmacist for allegedly stealing oxycodone

posted 22 days ago

An Oklahoma pharmacist has been arrested after being accused of stealing controlled dangerous substances. Read Article #ProviderArrest(s) #Oklahoma #NADDIMemberCase

Michigan Gang Member Pleads Guilty to RICO Conspiracy for Drug Trafficking and Over $500,000 in Fraud

posted 23 days ago

A Michigan man pleaded guilty yesterday for his role in a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO) Conspiracy. According to court documents, Jordan Gilmore, 27, of Detroit, is a member of a street gang known as the Purple Heart Vets (PHV) that uses violence, drug trafficking and fraud to enrich its members and fund the criminal enterprise. Gilmore is a self-described founder of PHV and used his rap career to promote the PHV through music and rap videos featuring other members and associates, firearms, cash, expensive cars and jewelry, and the gang’s territory. Gilmore and other PHV members and associates conspired to distribute marijuana, Percocet ...

Criminals cloned one in ten online pharmacy websites in past year, survey shows

posted 23 days ago

A National Pharmacy Association survey has revealed that two in five online pharmacies reported that patients unknowingly bought weight-loss medication from unregulated providers in the past year. Read Article #SafetyAlerts #Counterfeit #GLP-1

Florida Nursing Assistant Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for $11.4M Health Care Fraud Scheme Targeting Medicare Beneficiaries

posted 25 days ago

A Florida nursing assistant was sentenced yesterday to nine years in prison and two years of supervised release for his role in an $11.4 million health care fraud and wire fraud conspiracy in which hundreds of Medicare beneficiaries were sent thousands of orthotic braces they did not need. Cruz was also ordered to pay $3,712,345.70 in restitution and $724,871 in forfeiture. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Christian “Chris” Cruz, 45, of Pompano Beach, Florida, owned and operated a durable medical equipment (DME) supplier based in Florida through which he submitted millions of dollars in false claims to Medicare for medically unnecessary ...

New toxic drugs found in street supply in prompting alerts from health units in much of the northeast

posted 30 days ago

Canada - North Bay Parry Sound Health Unit reports 13 overdoses, including three deaths in one week in Nipissing area Read Article #Nefopam #Etodezitramide #EmergingDrugTrends #Medetomidine

Multi-agency Investigation into a Large-scale Drug Trafficking Organization

posted 04-07-2026

STATEMENT FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT Today, the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Enforcement Team (CET) and the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office Joint Community Action Team (JCAT), along with several other local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, announced the culmination of a long-term narcotics investigation targeting a major Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO). This DTO was responsible for distributing narcotics throughout the Eastern Shore of Maryland and Virginia, as well as Baltimore, MD, and the lower region of Delaware. This operation led to the seizure of significant quantities of illegal drugs, weapons, and monies associated with the ...

Texas Doctor Charged with Illegally Distributing Millions of Opioid Pills

posted 04-02-2026

An indictment was unsealed today in the Southern District of Texas charging James Robles, 70, of Weslaco, Texas, with operating a cash-only clinic in Houston that he used to sell prescriptions for controlled substances. According to court documents, Robles, a medical doctor licensed to practice in Texas, conspired with others to illegally prescribe oxycodone, hydrocodone and carisoprodol – all controlled substances with substantial street value that were in high demand on Houston’s black market. Operating from his cash-only Houston clinic, Robles allegedly sold prescriptions to “crew leaders” who recruited others to pose as patients, filled Robles’ prescriptions ...

Telemedicine Company Owner Pleads Guilty to $46M Medicare Fraud Scheme

posted 03-27-2026

The owner of a telemedicine company pleaded guilty today to organizing and leading a $46.2 million Medicare fraud conspiracy that spanned more than six years. According to court documents, Christopher Harwood, 43, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, admitted that he owned and operated a telemedicine company called TelevisitMD. Harwood and his co-conspirators targeted Medicare patients through aggressive telemarketing campaigns, inducing them to accept orthotic braces and genetic tests that they did not need. Harwood paid doctors to approve orders for these braces and genetic tests. These doctors did not follow Medicare’s rules for telemedicine visits, did not have ...

Texas Fugitive Apprehended and Sentenced to Over 12 Years in Prison for $61M Telemarketing Fraud Scheme Targeting Medicare Beneficiaries

posted 03-27-2026

A Texas man was sentenced Wednesday to 150 months in prison and two years of supervised release for organizing and leading a $61.5 million health care fraud and wire fraud conspiracy in which thousands of Medicare beneficiaries who were the victims of deceptive telemarketing were sent thousands of orthotic braces, foot baths, and genetic tests they did not need. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Robert “Bobby” Leon Smith III, 50, of Archer City, Texas, owned and operated seven durable medical equipment (DME) supply companies based in Florida, Texas, and Maryland through which he submitted millions of dollars in false claims to Medicare ...

DEA Delivers Major Blows to Drug Cartels, Advancing a Fentanyl Free America in 2026

posted 03-25-2026

Marking a powerful start to 2026, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration dealt a significant blow to drug trafficking networks during Phase II of Operation Fentanyl Free America. Between January 12 and February 10, 2026, DEA seized more than 4.7 million fentanyl pills and nearly 2,396 pounds of fentanyl powder resulting in more than 57 million deadly doses of fentanyl removed from communities in just thirty-days. Eliminating the threat of fentanyl remains a top priority for DEA. By dismantling these complex transnational criminal organizations and disrupting the intricate illicit financial systems that fund the cartels, DEA is upholding its commitment to ...

Director of the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics (OBN) is warning the public about a new and deadly synthetic opioid that has now been confirmed in Oklahoma.

posted 03-23-2026

OBN DIRECTOR ISSUES WARNING ON NEW AND DEADLY SYNTHETIC OPIOID The Director of the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics (OBN) is warning the public about a new and deadly synthetic opioid that has now been confirmed in Oklahoma. OBN Director Donnie Anderson says Cychlorphine, known scientifically as N-Propionitrile chlorphine, has been found in Oklahoma, and linked to at least one overdose death involving an 18-year-old from Yukon. “Cychlorphine can be up to ten times stronger than Fentanyl. Though it is a synthetic opioid, this drug is extremely powerful, and Naloxone may not be effective in reversing an overdose. At the very least, it might take multiple ...

Fentanyl found inside Barbies sold at Missouri discount store, police say

posted 03-22-2026

Fentanyl was found inside Barbie doll packages being sold at a discount store in Missouri, police said on Saturday. The Independence Police Department said in a social media post that they were contacted by security at Cargo Largo, a local discount store, after finding a suspicious powder substance in the packaging of a Barbie doll. Read Full Article #Concealment #Missouri #Fentanyl

Anchorage Doctor Sentenced to Prison for Multi-Million-Dollar Health Care Fraud and Tax Evasion

posted 03-18-2026

An Anchorage doctor was sentenced yesterday to six and a half years in prison and three years of supervised release for executing a $12.5 million health care fraud scheme and evading over $4 million in taxes on the profits of that 15-year scheme. Her husband and co-defendant was sentenced to three years of probation, with two years to be served in home confinement. According to court documents and statements made in court, Dr. Claribel Tan, 61, and her husband, Daniel Tan, 70, operated a rheumatology medical clinic in Anchorage starting in 2005. Claribel Tan specialized in the treatment of autoimmune and musculoskeletal diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, ...

Owners and CEO of Wholesale Pharmaceutical Company Sentenced for Distributing More Than $92M of Black-Market HIV Drugs

posted 03-16-2026

Two owners of a pharmaceutical wholesale company were sentenced Friday to a total of 38 years in prison for orchestrating a complex, nationwide drug diversion scheme that harmed vulnerable HIV-positive patients, placed countless others at risk, and corrupted the supply chain for prescription drugs in the United States. “Patrick and Charles Boyd did not just commit fraud and cost taxpayers millions of dollars, they preyed upon some of the most vulnerable members of our society: HIV patients who depend on life-saving treatments to manage their disease,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Fraud schemes ...

Two men face long terms for Arkansas pharmacy burglaries

posted 03-13-2026

Antoinen Dion Hampton and Reginald Tremayne Jackson, both of Houston, Texas, will spend a combined time of 308 months in federal prison for their role in a criminal organization that was responsible for dozens of pharmacy burglaries and stolen controlled substances worth millions of dollars. Jonathan D. Ross, United States attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentences, which were handed down Thursday, March 12, 2026 by United States District Judge Brian S. Miller. Read Article #Arkansas #Texas #PharmacyBurglary/Robbery #MoneyLaundering #DrugTraffickingOrganization(DTO)