pharmacies | The Health Law Firm Blog

Nationwide Telephone Scam: Phony DEA Agents Extorting Money from Victims

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is warning the public to be aware of a prescription drug scam. This telephone scheme is extorting money from people all over the country. On November 28, 2012, the DEA released a press release explaining the details of the scam.

Do Not Wire Money to Phony DEA Agents.

The scam starts with criminals posing as DEA agents calling victims by telephone. Frequently the victims will have recently purchased prescription drugs over the internet or by phone. The imposters tell the victims that purchasing the drugs in that manner is illegal, and that they must pay a fine. If the victims refuse to send money, the phony DEA agents threaten to arrest the victims or search their […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:00:41-04:00June 1, 2018|Categories: DEA, HIPAA, In the News, Pharmaceutical Drugs, The Health Law Firm Blog|Tags: controlled substance purchases online, DEA agents, DEA investigation, defense attorney, defense lawyer, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), drug purchases on the telephone, extortion scam, HIPAA Privacy Complaint, Office of Civil Rights (OCR), online drug purchase, pharmacies, pharmacist, pharmacy, prescription-drug scam, scam alert|3 Comments

22 New Synthetic Drugs Outlawed in Florida: Citizens Keep an Eye Out for Zombies

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

On December 11, 2012, Attorney General (AG) Pam Bondi filed an emergency rule outlawing 22 new synthetic drugs, commonly known as “bath salts,” “K2,” and “Spice.” This emergency rule modifies Section 893.03(1)(c), Florida Statutes, by expanding the list of synthetic drugs in Schedule I of controlled substances of the Florida Comprehensive Abuse Prevention and Control Act.

Click here to view a copy of the emergency rule.

I previously wrote a blog on House Bill 1175 in July 2012, which originally outlawed 90 forms of synthetic drugs. Click here to read that blog.

Authorities Having a Hard Time Staying on Top of These Drugs.

The new law puts restrictions on those who manufacture, sell or deliver synthetic substances including certain […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:00:42-04:00June 1, 2018|Categories: Synthetic drugs, The Health Law Firm Blog|Tags: Attorney General, attorneys, bath salts, cannibalism, cannibalistic, dea, defense attorney, defense lawyer, doctor, drug bans, drug enforcement administration, drugs, florida, florida health attorney, Florida health lawyer, k2, laws, legal, nurse, pharmacies, pharmacists, pharmacy, physician, potpourri, prevention, smiles, synthetic cannabinoids, synthetic drug bill, synthetic drug use, synthetic drugs, synthetic marijuana, zombie attacks, zombies, zombiism|Comments Off

Update: Fake DEA Agents Calling Citizens, Claiming to Have Arrest Warrant

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

Health care providers beware, there is a scam making its rounds in Central Florida. Con men are telephoning citizens, including physicians, and pretending to be Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents in the hope of extorting money from them.

It’s a scam we first told you about in December 2012, but have since learned more. Click here to read my first blog on this nationwide telephone scam.

Fake DEA Agents Conning Citizens and Health Providers.

The scam starts with criminals posing as DEA agents calling victims by telephone. Frequently, just by coincidence, the victim will have purchased prescription drugs over the internet, by phone or from a foreign country. The imposters tell the victims that purchasing the drugs in this […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:00:44-04:00June 1, 2018|Categories: DEA, In the Know, In the News, The Health Law Firm Blog|Tags: controlled substance purchases online, DEA agents, DEA investigation, defense attorney, defense lawyer, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), drug purchases on the telephone, extortion scam, HIPAA Privacy Complaint, Office of Civil Rights (OCR), online drug purchase, pharmacies, pharmacist, pharmacy, prescription-drug scam, scam alert|6 Comments

Dentists: Beware of Nationwide Telephone Prescription Drug Scam – Callers Claim to be DEA Agents

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is warning dentists to be aware of a prescription drug scam. This telephone scheme is extorting money from people all over the country. On November 28, 2012, the DEA released a press release explaining the details of the scam.

Be Wary of Criminals Asking for Money Over the Phone.

The scam starts with criminals posing as DEA agents calling victims by telephone. Frequently the victims will have recently purchased prescription drugs over the internet or by phone. The imposters tell the victims that purchasing the drugs in that manner is illegal, and that they must pay a fine. If the victims refuse to send money, the phony DEA agents threaten to arrest the victims or search their property. Some of the victims have […]

Phony Pharmacist Gets Prison Time for Working at Pharmacies in Central Florida

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

On November 2, 2012, a former Altamonte Springs resident was sentenced to three and a half years in federal prison for fraudulently working as a Central Florida pharmacist from 2000 to 2009, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Click here to read the press release from the DOJ.

I previously blogged about this story when the fake pharmacist pleaded guilty. Click here to read that blog.

Man Allegedly Worked at a CVS and Walgreens in Central Florida.

According to an article in the Orlando Sentinel, the man worked at pharmacies throughout Central Florida, including a CVS and a Walgreens. While working at one of the pharmacies, he allegedly gave a customer the incorrect medication, causing that person to suffer a […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:01:08-04:00May 15, 2018|Categories: Department of Health, Florida Board of Pharmacy, Legal Defense for Pharmacists, Pharmacist, Pharmacy, Pharmacy Law|Tags: criminal charges, DEA investigation, DEA number, defense attorney, defense lawyer, Department of Health (DOH), DOH investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), identity theft, investigation, legal defense for pharmacists, legal representation for pharmacists, license revoked, pharmacies, pharmacy investigation, quality assurance|Comments Off

New Regulations for Pain Management Clinics in Seminole County Coming

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

Seminole County, Florida, is the latest county to adopt tightened regulations for pain management clinics. On November 13, 2012, County Commissioners unanimously voted to adopt the ordinance enacting Chapter 186 of the Seminole County Code to establish regulations regarding pain management clinics.

Click here to read the entire Seminole County Ordinance.

County Commissioners hope these new regulations will aid law enforcement in fighting illegal pill mill operations in Florida.

Regulations In Place to Cut Down on Overprescribing.

The ordinance requires clinics to get a license, produce monthly reports on how many prescriptions are issued for controlled substances and report patient information, such as a patient’s address. This only applies to practices where doctors issue prescriptions for painkillers […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:01:08-04:00May 15, 2018|Categories: Pain Management, Trafficking Prescription Painkillers|Tags: controlled substances, defense attorney, defense lawyer, Department of Health (DOH), doctor, florida pill mills, Florida prescription drug abuse, Florida prescription drug crackdown, nurse, Osceola County pill mills, overprescribing, pain clinics, pain management, pharmacies, pharmacists, pharmacy, physician, pill mill, prescription drug monitoring program, prescription drug trafficking, Seminole County pain clinics, Seminole County pill mills|Comments Off

South Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Fraudulently Working as a Pharmacist

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

On July 24, 2012, a 49-year-old man from Ruskin in South Fla., pleaded guilty in federal court to fraudulently working as a Central Florida pharmacist from 2000 to 2009, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ) in a press release.

Fake Pharmacist was Working at Central Florida Pharmacies.

Prosecutors said this man worked at pharmacies throughout Central Florida, including CVS pharmacy and Walgreens. According to the Orlando Sentinel, while working at one of the pharmacies, he gave a customer the incorrect medication, causing that person to suffer a severe reaction and stroke.

Alleged Identity Theft to Obtain Pharmacist License.

Allegedly, the man fraudulently obtained a pharmacist license in September of 2000 from the State Department of Health (DOH) by using the […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:01:38-04:00May 15, 2018|Categories: Legal Defense for Pharmacists, Pharmacist, Pharmacy, Pharmacy Law|Tags: criminal charges, dea, DEA investigation, DEA number, department of health, Department of Justice, doh, DOJ, FBI, identity theft, investigation, legal defense for pharmacists, legal representation for pharmacists, license revoked, pharmacies, pharmacy investigation, quality assurance|Comments Off

Sex, Drugs and Money Lands Avalon Park Pharmacist in Handcuffs

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

Sex, prescription drugs and money – sounds like the next big rock ‘n’ roll song, doesn’t it? According to a number of news sources, the owner of an Avalon Park-area pharmacist was allegedly knowingly filling phony prescriptions for painkillers. The pharmacist is also accused of exchanging sex for drugs with at least one woman, according to the Orlando Sentinel. This investigation was led by the Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation (MBI) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Both agencies simultaneously raided the pharmacy on November 29, 2012.

Avalon Park is a community it the greater Orlando area.
Filling Phony Prescriptions.

According to WFTV, the owner of the pharmacy and two employees sat handcuffed outside the pharmacy as federal drug agents reportedly […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:01:08-04:00May 15, 2018|Categories: Pharmacist, Pharmacy, Pharmacy Law, Trafficking Prescription Painkillers|Tags: administrative hearings, criminal charges, DEA investigation, DEA raid, defense attorney, defense lawyer, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), drug trafficking, fake prescriptions, Florida Department of Health (DOH), legal defense for pharmacists, legal representation for pharmacists, Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation (MBI), pharmacies, pharmacist, pharmacy investigation, quality assurance, smurfs|Comments Off

Pharmacists: Beware of Scammers that Call and Claim to be DEA Agents

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is warning pharmacists to be aware of a prescription drug scam. This telephone scheme is extorting money from people all over the country. On November 28, 2012, the DEA released a press release explaining the details of the scam.

Con Artists Claim to Be DEA Agents and Request Money Over the Phone.

The scam starts with criminals posing as DEA agents calling victims by telephone. Frequently the victims will have recently purchased prescription drugs over the internet or by phone. The imposters tell the victims that purchasing the drugs in that manner is illegal, and that they must pay a fine. If the victims refuse to send money, the phony DEA agents threaten to arrest the victims or search their […]

Dentists: Tightened Controls on Prescribing to Medicare Part D Patients Could Affect Your Practice

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

Starting June 1, 2015, Medicare Part D will no longer reimburse patients or pharmacies for prescriptions unless the dentist opts in and enrolls in Medicare, or opts out and enters into a private contract with the patient. This measure is part of a rule finalized by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The purpose of the rule is to assist CMS in cracking down on doctors, dentists and other health care providers that are improperly prescribing drugs to Medicare patients.

Medicare Part D plans provide supplemental optional coverage for prescription medication used in dentistry, are administered by private health plans and are paid for by way of premiums. As a dentist, if you have patients with Medicare Part D, you need to choose whether […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:01:09-04:00May 15, 2018|Categories: Dental Law, Dentistry Law, Dentists, Insurance|Tags: abusive prescribing, Administrative Hearing, applying to Medicare, audits, Board of Dentistry, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, CMS, CMS audits, controlled substances, DEA investigation, defense attorney, defense lawyer, dental board, dentist attorney, dentist defense, dentist lawyer, dentist’s license, DOH investigations, enroll in Medicare, health law, health law firm, medicare, Medicare abuse, Medicare fraud, Medicare overpayments, Medicare Part D, over-prescribing, pharmacies, prescribing painkillers, prescribing practices, prescription drug abuse, RAC audit, revocation, revoked license, suspended license, suspicious prescribing practices, termination from Medicare, the health law firm, zpic audit|1 Comment