Cases Against Doctors
> Criminal Cases
*Criminal
Cases
* This web site is a listing of investigations of physician
registrants in which DEA was involved that resulted in the arrest and
prosecution of the registrant. DEA is in the process of adding to this site
cases against DEA physician registrants since 2003 which have resulted in
arrests and prosecutions.
|
Name: |
SANDERS, Lisa, MD |
City, State: |
Fort Gordon, GA |
Date of Arrest: |
2/22/2005 |
Date of Conviction: |
5/26/2005 |
Judicial Status: |
Pled Guilty |
Conviction: |
Acquiring a controlled substance by deception or subterfuge |
DEA Registration: |
Surrendered 3/7/2005 |
Remarks: |
Lisa Sanders, MD, age 42, of Fort Gordon, GA, pled guilty in federal
court to one count of acquiring a controlled substance by deception or
subterfuge. She was sentenced to six months imprisonment, to be followed
by one year of supervised release. Dr. Sanders must also perform 100 hours
of community service and pay a fine of $2,500. |
|
Name: |
SASSON, Nicholas, MD |
City, State: |
Salina, CA |
Date of Arrest: |
07/12/2004 |
Date of Conviction: |
10/18/2004 |
Judicial Status: |
Pled No Contest |
Conviction: |
Obtaining Controlled Substances by Fraud |
DEA Registration: |
Surrendered 04/06/2004 |
Remarks: |
Nicholas Sasson, MD, age 36, of Salinas, CA, pled no contest in state
court to one count of obtaining a controlled substance by fraud. He was
sentenced to five years probation and a fine of $1,000. He was also
ordered to perform 1,500 hours of community service. |
|
Name: |
SCHLESINGER, Richard, MD |
City, State: |
Owings Mill, MD |
Date of Arrest: |
05/26/2004 |
Date of Conviction: |
05/26/2004 |
Judicial Status: |
Pled Guilty |
Conviction: |
Conspiracy to distribute Demerol; Healthcare Fraud |
DEA Registration: |
Retired 09/30/2005 |
Remarks: |
Richard Schlesinger, MD, age 59, of Owings Mills, MD, pled guilty in
federal court to one count of conspiracy to distribute a mixture
containing Demerol, and one count of health care fraud. Schlesinger was
sentenced to three years probation with six months home detention and must
perform 100 hours of community service. |
|
Name: |
SCHEYER, William J., MD |
City, State: |
Kirkland, WA |
Date of Arrest: |
01/19/2005 |
Date of Conviction: |
01/19/2005 |
Judicial Status: |
Pled Guilty |
Conviction: |
Obtaining a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, forgery,
deception, and subterfuge |
DEA Registration: |
Surrendered 10/24/2005 |
Remarks: |
William Scheyer, MD, age 79, of Kirkland, WA, pled guilty in federal
court to one count of obtaining a controlled substance by
misrepresentation, fraud, forgery, deception, and subterfuge. He was
sentenced to two years probation subject to the following special
conditions: 60 days of home electronic confinement, 500 hours community
service, $1,000 fine, and the surrender of his DEA registration and
license to practice medicine.
According to court documents, from August 2001 and continuing until May
2003, Scheyer authorized fraudulent prescriptions for controlled
substances in various individual’s names without their knowledge or
consent. |
|
Name: |
SCHWAB, Edward T., DO |
City, State: |
Canton, MS |
Date of Arrest: |
03/31/2006 |
Date of Conviction: |
09/21/2006 |
Judicial Status: |
Pled Guilty |
Conviction: |
Conspiracy to distribute Schedule III and IV controlled substances;
Conspiracy to engage in monetary transactions in property derived from
specific unlawful activity |
DEA Registration: |
Surrendered 05/19/2004 |
Remarks: |
Edward T. Schwab, DO, age 72, of Canton, Mississippi, pled guilty in
federal court to one count conspiracy to distribute schedule III and IV
controlled substances and conspiracy to engage in monetary transactions in
property derived from specific unlawful activity. According to court
records, between October 2002 and August 2003, Dr. Schwab authorized at
least 316,440 dosage units of Schedule III controlled substances and
755,460 dosage units of Schedule IV controlled substances via the
internet. Said prescriptions were not issued for a legitimate medical
purpose and not in the usual course of a practitioner’s professional
practice.
Schwab was sentenced to twenty-two months in prison, two years
supervised release, and ordered to forfeit $500,246.00. |
|
Name: |
SHINDERMAN, Marc S., MD |
City, State: |
Westbrook, ME |
Date of Arrest: |
08/25/2005 |
Date of Conviction: |
07/20/2006 |
Judicial Status: |
Jury Conviction |
Conviction: |
Using a DEA registration issued to another person; aiding the
acquisition of controlled substances by deception; furnishing false
information required to be kept by a pharmacy; creating false medical
records |
DEA Registration: |
New Pending |
Remarks: |
Marc Shinderman, MD, age 64, of Westbrook, Maine, was convicted on July
20, 2006 by a federal jury on twenty-five counts of using a DEA
registration issued to another person; twenty-four counts of aiding the
acquisition of controlled substances by deception; two counts of
furnishing false information required to be kept by a pharmacy; and seven
counts of creating false medical records.
Shinderman was sentenced to six months in prison followed by six months
home confinement upon release from prison; and two years supervised
release. He was also ordered to pay a $5,800 special assessment, $30,000
fine, and $619.62 in restitution. |
|
Name: |
SHORTT, James M., MD |
City, State: |
W. Columbia, SC |
Date of Arrest: |
10/12/2005 |
Date of Conviction: |
07/17/2006 |
Judicial Status: |
Pled Guilty |
Conviction: |
Conspiracy to Distribute Anabolic Steroids and Human Growth Hormone |
DEA Registration: |
Surrendered 1/31/06 |
Remarks: |
James Shortt, MD, age 46, of West Columbia, South Carolina, pled guilty
in federal court to one count of conspiracy to distribute anabolic
steroids and human growth hormone. He was sentenced to 12 months and one
day imprisonment, to be followed by two years of supervised release.
Shortt has filed an appeal to the sentencing in this case. |
|
Name: |
SIPSY, Lonnie Keith, DO |
City, State: |
Charleston, WV |
Date of Arrest: |
10/29/2007 |
Date of Conviction: |
02/01/2008 |
Judicial Status: |
Guilty Plea |
Conviction: |
Possession of a controlled substance by deception and subterfuge |
DEA Registration: |
Retired 09/30/2006 |
Remarks: |
Lonnie Keith Sipsy, DO, age 41, of Charleston, WV, pled guilty in
federal court to one count of having knowingly and intentionally acquired
and obtained possession of a quantity of hydrocodone, a Schedule III
controlled substance, by deception and subterfuge.
Sipsy was sentenced to 12 months and one day in federal prison,
followed by supervised release for a term of one year, and ordered to pay
an assessment of $100 and a fine of $5,000. The sentence has been appealed
and further judicial action is pending. |
|
Name: |
SIRECI, John B., DO |
City, State: |
Woodbury, NJ |
Date of Arrest: |
06/04/2004 |
Date of Conviction: |
09/30/2005 |
Judicial Status: |
Pled Guilty |
Conviction: |
Obtaining Controlled Substances by Fraud |
DEA Registration: |
Active |
Remarks: |
John B. Sireci, DO, age 38, of Woodbury, New Jersey, pled guilty in
state court to one count of obtaining controlled substances by fraud. He
was sentenced in the Superior Court of Gloucester County to three years
probation, and fined $3,555.00. |
|
Name: |
SNYDER, Robert, DO |
City, State: |
Pittsburgh, PA |
Date of Arrest: |
02/21/2006 |
Date of Conviction: |
09/05/2006 |
Judicial Status: |
Pled Guilty |
Conviction: |
Insurance Fraud and Possession Controlled Substances |
DEA Registration: |
Surrendered 10/25/2005 |
Remarks: |
Robert Snyder, DO, age 38, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was arrested on
February 21, 2006 for Insurance Fraud and Acquiring or Obtaining
Controlled Substances by misrepresentation, fraud, forgery, deception or
subterfuge. He pled guilty in State Court on both counts and was sentenced
to one year probation.
According to court documents, between April 2001 and May 2005, Snyder
telephoned prescriptions to and/or presented prescriptions at various
pharmacies for the drug Hydromet and/or Hydrocodone Compound, in the names
of his medical patients and/or friends. Snyder did so knowing the
prescription information was being processed through his patients’
insurance provider.
Snyder’s patients had no knowledge of the prescriptions for which
claims were being submitted to their insurance company or that the drugs
were being dispensed directly to Snyder. |
|
Name: |
SOKOLOFF, Keith, DO |
City, State: |
Newark, DE |
Date of Arrest: |
03/15/2005 |
Date of Conviction: |
05/03/2006 |
Judicial Status: |
Pled Guilty |
Conviction: |
Delivery of a controlled substance, health care fraud, and conspiracy |
DEA Registration: |
Surrendered 11/14/2005 |
Remarks: |
Keith Sokoloff, age 34, of Newark, DE, pled guilty in state court to
one count of heath care fraud, one count of delivery of a narcotic
Schedule II controlled substance, and one count of conspiracy second
degree. He was sentenced to incarceration for five years, suspended after
serving six months home confinement, with probation for the balance of the
five year term. He was also ordered to perform 1,000 hours of community
service.
According to court documents, Sokoloff presented fraudulent health care
claims to the Delaware Medical Assistance Program, a heath care benefit
program for which he was a health care provider. Dr. Sokoloff also
committed a felony by entering into an agreement with other
co-conspirators to unlawfully deliver Schedule II controlled substances,
specifically OxyContin. |
|
Name: |
SOLIS, Armando, MD |
City, State: |
Miami Beach, FL |
Date of Arrest: |
12/06/2004 |
Date of Conviction: |
08/31/2005 |
Judicial Status: |
Pled Guilty |
Conviction: |
Conspiracy to distribute or dispense controlled substances |
DEA Registration: |
Retired 09/30/2005 |
Remarks: |
Armando Solis, MD, age 54, of Miami Beach, Florida, pled guilty to one
count of conspiracy to distribute or dispense controlled substances. He
was sentenced to 46 months imprisonment followed by two years supervised
released and ordered to pay a $15,000 fine and a $100 special assessment
fine.
According to court records, Solis issued prescriptions for controlled
substances without properly determining their medical necessity and in a
manner that was outside the course of professional practice. |
|
Name: |
SPECTOR, Michael Anthony, MD |
City, State: |
Superior, CO |
Date of Arrest: |
06/29/2003 |
Date of Conviction: |
12/05/2003 |
Judicial Status: |
Pled Guilty |
Conviction: |
Dispensing by fraud, deceit, or forgery |
DEA Registration: |
Active Pending |
Remarks: |
Michael Anthony Spector, MD, age 46, of Superior, Colorado, pled guilty
in State Court to dispensing drugs by fraud, deceit, or forgery. Spector
unlawfully and knowingly dispensed the drug Vicodin, by using a false
name. He was sentenced to two years probation. |
|
Name: |
STANCH, James M., MD |
City, State: |
Manahawkin, NJ |
Date of Arrest: |
02/08/2006 |
Date of Conviction: |
06/30/2006 |
Judicial Status: |
Pled Guilty |
Conviction: |
Distribution and possession of a Schedule II controlled substance |
DEA Registration: |
Surrendered 05/25/2004 |
Remarks: |
James M. Stanch, MD, age 54, of Manahawkin, NJ, pled guilty in federal
court to one count of distribution and possession of a Schedule II
controlled substance and one count of distribution and possession of
narcotic drugs.
According to court documents, from in or about February 2006, through
on or about July 26, 2006, Stanch did knowingly and intentionally
distribute and possess with intent to distribute quantities of hydrocodone,
a Schedule III controlled substance, alprazolam, propoxyphene and provigil,
all Schedule IV controlled substances. Stanch knowingly and intentionally
conspired and agreed with others to acquire and obtain possession of these
controlled substances by misrepresentation, fraud, deception, and
subterfuge.
Stanch was sentenced to a term of imprisonment of fifty-seven months on
each count to run concurrently with each other, three years supervised
release, and fined $4,000. |
|
Name: |
STEELE, Doyle Stuart, MD |
City, State: |
Las Vegas, NV |
Date of Arrest: |
12/20/2005 |
Date of Conviction: |
03/23/2007 |
Judicial Status: |
Pled Guilty |
Conviction: |
Conspiracy to possess and distribute controlled substances |
DEA Registration: |
Retired 09/30/2006 |
Remarks: |
Doyle Stuart Steele, MD, age 52, of Las Vegas, NV, pled guilty in
federal court to one count of conspiracy to possess and distribute
controlled substances. According to court documents, Steele conspired
unlawfully and intentionally to possess with the intent to distribute
oxycodone and Percocet, Schedule II controlled substances, and hydrocodone,
a Schedule III controlled substance, and that, as part of the conspiracy,
Steele distributed and dispensed controlled substances outside the scope
of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose, in
return for which he received cash payments, sexual relationships, or a
portion of the prescribed controlled substances for his own use. |
Steele was sentenced to eighty-seven (87) months in federal prison
followed by probation for a term of three (3) years and ordered to pay a
fine of $15,000 and an assessment of $100.00. |
|
Name: |
UMANSKY, Michael, MD |
City, State: |
Los Angeles, CA |
Date of Arrest: |
02/05/2003 |
Date of Conviction: |
08/22/2003 |
Judicial Status: |
Pled No Contest |
Conviction: |
Accessory to the unlicensed practice of medicine |
DEA Registration: |
Expired 05/31/2003 |
Remarks: |
Michael Umansky, MD, age 72, of Los Angeles, CA, pled nolo contendere
(no contest) to one count of accessory to a felony committed by another.
Umansky admitted that, after seeing patients at an initial visit with a
perfunctory exam, patients had their prescription refills handled during
subsequent monthly visits by his wife who served as his receptionist and
was not a licensed physician. The patient had no additional contact with
the doctor.
Umansky was sentenced to 36 months probation and payment of $10,000
restitution. |
|
Name: |
VAIDYA, Kaushal, MD |
City, State: |
New Haven, CT |
Date of Arrest: |
02/25/2005 |
Date of Conviction: |
05/04/2005 |
Judicial Status: |
Pled Guilty |
Conviction: |
Illegal possession of narcotics, illegal prescribing of narcotics and
controlled substances |
DEA Registration: |
Surrendered 09/15/2004 |
Remarks: |
Kaushal Vaidya, MD, age 36, of New Haven, CT, pled guilty in state
court to illegal possession of narcotics, illegal prescribing of
narcotics, and illegal prescribing of controlled substances. He was
sentenced to two years Accelerated Rehabilitation and ordered to perform
100 hours of community service.
According to court documents, Vaidya was writing large quantities of
controlled substance prescriptions for himself and for a friend without a
legitimate medical reason and without being properly licensed in the State
of Connecticut to prescribe controlled substances. |
|
Name: |
WADLEY, Esther, DO |
City, State: |
Republic, MO |
Date of Arrest: |
8/13/2004 |
Date of Conviction: |
4/20/2005 |
Judicial Status: |
Pled Guilty |
Conviction: |
Distribution of a controlled substance outside the scope of
professional practice; Obstruction of a health care offense criminal
investigation |
DEA Registration: |
Surrendered 03/01/2005 |
Remarks: |
Esther Wadley, DO, age 36, of Republic, MO, pled guilty to distribution
of a controlled substance outside the scope of professional practice, and
to obstruction of a criminal investigation of a health care offense. She
was sentenced to five years supervised probation and 1,000 hours of
community service. |
|
Name: |
WAGMAN, Philip G., MD |
City, State: |
New Castle, PA |
Date of Arrest: |
10/04/2004 |
Date of Conviction: |
05/09/2006 |
Judicial Status: |
Jury Conviction |
Conviction: |
Violation of the Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act;
Conspiracy to Violate the Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and
Cosmetic Act; and Flight to Avoid Apprehension |
DEA Registration: |
Surrendered 10/05/2004 |
Remarks: |
Philip G. Wagman, MD, age 49, of New Castle, Pennsylvania was found
guilty by a jury in the Court of Common Pleas of Lawrence County on
nineteen counts of Violation of the Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and
Cosmetic Act; one count of Conspiracy to Violate the Controlled Substance,
Drug, Device, and Cosmetic Act; and one count of Flight to Avoid
Apprehension. He was sentenced to a term of incarceration of not less than
seven (7) years and no more than fifteen (15) years and ordered to pay a
fine of $50,000.
According to court documents, Wagman prescribed and conspired with
other persons to prescribe, Scheduled II controlled substances in his
capacity as a licensed practitioner, that were not in accordance with
treatment principles accepted by a responsible segment of the medical
profession. |
|
Name: |
WANG, David, MD |
City, State: |
Orlando, FL |
Date of Arrest: |
08/17/05 |
Date of Conviction: |
|
Judicial Status: |
Trial Date Pending |
Conviction: |
|
DEA Registration: |
Currently Under Order To Show Cause |
Remarks: |
Dr. David Wang, MD, age 53, of Orlando, Florida was arrested on August
17, 2005, by the Melbourne Police Department and charged with trafficking
in hydrocodone.
Dr. Wang is currently awaiting trial. |
|
Name: |
WEXLER, David, MD |
City, State: |
New York, NY |
Date of Arrest: |
06/24/2003 |
Date of Conviction: |
03/16/2006 |
Judicial Status: |
Jury Conviction |
Conviction: |
Conspiracy to distribute/possess; intent to distribute resulting in
death |
DEA Registration: |
Retired |
Remarks: |
David Wexler, MD, of New York City, NY, was found guilty by a federal
jury on 17 counts including unlawfully distributing prescription narcotics
(such as Xanax, Vicodin, Dilaudid, and Percocet), health care fraud, and
conspiracy to distribute prescription narcotics which resulted in the
death of an individual due to an overdose.
Evidence presented at trial demonstrated that Wexler, a dermatologist
practicing in New York, billed Medicare and various health insurance
companies for thousands of surgeries that he had never performed.
Evidence also showed that Wexler agreed to pay kickbacks from those
insurance payments to some patients in order to keep them coming back to
his office. In return for one of the patient’s acquiescence in this
scheme, the evidence showed that Dr. Wexler paid the patient $700 a month,
and provided the patient with prescriptions for various controlled
substances for no legitimate medical purpose.
Wexler was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment; five years supervised
release, and ordered to pay $887,000 in restitution to Medicare and
various health insurance plans. Further judicial action may follow. |
|
Name: |
WILLIAMS, Fred J., MD |
City, State: |
Panama City, FL |
Date of Arrest: |
12/11/2003 |
Date of Conviction: |
06/16/2004 |
Judicial Status: |
Jury Conviction |
Conviction: |
Unlawful dispensing of a controlled substance; fraud |
DEA Registration: |
Surrendered 12/17/2003 |
Remarks: |
Fred J. Williams, MD, age 53, of Panama City, FL, was convicted by a
federal jury on 94 different counts including 56 counts of unlawfully
dispensing a controlled substance, 2 counts of unlawfully dispensing a
controlled substance resulting in death, and multiple counts of wire
fraud, health care fraud, and firearms violations..
Testimony and documentary evidence presented at trial demonstrated that
Dr. Williams wrote multiple prescriptions on the same day for the same
patient, wrote prescriptions for over 100 individuals on whom he
maintained no medical chart, wrote prescriptions for patients whom he
preformed very minimal or no examination, wrote prescriptions for patients
whose behavior and physical appearance indicated that they were addicted
to controlled substances or who informed Williams that they had been
addicted to controlled substances or illegal drugs in the past, wrote
prescriptions for patients whose toxicology screens showed that they were
not taking the prescribed drugs but were instead taking illegal drugs,
wrote prescriptions for at least one patient who he heard was selling the
prescribed drugs, that he frequently refilled prescriptions early and
replaced "lost" drugs.
Williams was sentenced to federal prison for a term of Life. |
|
Name: |
WILLIAMS, Warren H., MD |
City, State: |
Charlotte, NC |
Date of Arrest: |
04/20/2005 |
Date of Conviction: |
05/15/2006 |
Judicial Status: |
Pled Guilty |
Conviction: |
Health care fraud; illegal distribution of a controlled substance, and
aiding and abetting same |
DEA Registration: |
Surrendered 10/12/2004 |
Remarks: |
Warren Williams, MD, age 55, of Charlotte, NC, pled guilty to one count
of health care fraud, and one count of illegal distribution of a
controlled substance and aiding and abetting same.
Williams participated in a scheme to defraud private insurance
companies by regularly completing and submitting insurance billing forms
reflecting charges for medical services not provided and for individuals
who were not current patients. Williams also distributed prescription
drugs without a legitimate medical purpose and outside the scope of
medical practice.
Williams was sentenced to one year and one day for each count to run
concurrently, three years supervised release, and restitution of
$59,885.64. |
|
Name: |
WINKLER, Heidi Ann, MD |
City, State: |
Norwalk, CA |
Date of Arrest: |
06/30/2006 |
Date of Conviction: |
02/02/2007 |
Judicial Status: |
Pled Guilty |
Conviction: |
Issuing an illegal prescription |
DEA Registration: |
Current |
Remarks: |
Heidi Ann Winkler, MD, age 54, of Norwalk, CA pled guilty to
prescribing narcotics without a legitimate purpose. According court
records, Dr. Winkler was over-prescribing controlled substances, primarily
Vicodin, to individuals without a legitimate medical purpose.
Winkler was sentenced in the Superior Court of California, County of
Los Angeles, to one day in jail, three years probation, 120 hours of
community service, and restitution in the amount of $18,204.11. |
|
Name: |
YEZBICK, Alphonse, DO |
City, State: |
West Bloomfield, MI |
Date of Arrest: |
5/3/2005 |
Date of Conviction: |
2/8/2006 |
Judicial Status: |
Pled Guilty |
Conviction: |
Unlawful practice of medicine; delivery and manufacture of a controlled
substance |
DEA Registration: |
Surrendered 9/25/2001 |
Remarks: |
Alphonse Yezbick, DO, age 77, of West Bloomfield, Michigan, pled guilty
in state court to unlawful practice of medicine and delivery and
manufacture of a controlled substance. He was sentenced to 14 days
imprisonment, followed by 2 years probation. |
|
Name: |
YUN, In Whan, MD |
City, State: |
Wrens, GA |
Date of Arrest: |
04/10/2007 |
Date of Conviction: |
03/18/2008 |
Judicial Status: |
Guilty Plea |
Conviction: |
Unlawful dispensation of a controlled substance |
DEA Registration: |
Active Pending |
Remarks: |
In Whan Yun, MD, age 69, of Wrens, GA, pled guilty in federal court to
one count of unlawful dispensation of a controlled substance. According to
court documents, YUN knowingly, intentionally and unlawfully dispensed, by
means of a written prescription, the Schedule III controlled substance
hydrocodone outside the usual course of professional practice as medical
doctor and without legitimate purpose relating to the practice of
medicine.
Yun was sentenced to probation for a term of five (5) years and
assessed fines of $5,100. Yun was also ordered to forfeit $200,000 which
constituted an approximation, or estimate, of monies improperly received
by the doctor for illegal dispensations. |
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