Three pharmacists, two patient recruiters and a doctor were charged in a $9.6 million illegal opioid distribution conspiracy, said U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider.
The following are charged:
- Pharmacist Enitan Sodiya-Ogundipe, 42, of Novi
- Pharmacist Amir Rafi, 49, of Farmington Hills
- Pharmacist Abiodun Fabode, 56, of Chesterfield Township
- Dr. Vasan Deshikachar, 50, of Boca Raton, Florida
- Niesheia Tibu, 44, of Canton
- Andrei Tibu, 30, of Canton
According to an indictment, from January 2015 through March 2018, the pharmacists and a doctor allegedly conspired with other defendants to issue and dispense a large number of prescription opioids for supposed patients, who did not have a legitimate medical need for the drugs.
Deshikachar reportedly primarily prescribed oxycodone and oxymorphone, two of the most addictive opioids that have high street value.
The Tibus would allegedly take the patients to Precare Pharmacy, Global Health Pharmacy and Friendz Pharmacy, where Sodiya-Ogundipe, Rafi and Fabode would dispense the drugs. The Tibus then allegedly obtained the drugs and sold them on the street.
According to the indictment, the pharmacies dispensed more than 344,737 dosage units of Schedule II opioid prescriptions during the conspiracy.
The opioids had a conservative street value in excess of $9,600,000.
Diversion of prescription pills to the street market is a direct cause of the current opioid epidemic facing our country,” U.S. Attorney Schneider said. “We are focusing on charging doctors, pharmacists and the networks that are contributing to the opioid problem in our district.”
