Investigations
Drug Tester Indicted and Arrested for Scamming Pennsylvania Commercial Truck Operators
Summary
On April 1, 2014, a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, indicted Elizabeth “Betsy” Pope, operator of Eastgate Laboratory Testing (Eastgate), for mail fraud related to a scheme to defraud several Pittsburgh-area commercial motor vehicle drivers and employers.
Our investigation revealed that Eastgate conducted drug testing for commercial vehicle operators and various trucking companies located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Eastgate served as a third party administrator to oversee the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulated testing. The indictment alleged that between 2008 and 2012, Pope used the signature of a medical review officer (MRO) who had not worked for Eastgate since June 2005 to certify test results. FMCSA and the commercial operators relied on the suspect drug test reports to demonstrate compliance with federal regulations.
Note: Indictments, informations, and criminal complaints are only accusations by the Government. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.