Williamsville Doctor Siddiqui Pleads Guilty to Pill Fraud

Dr. Yusuf Siddiqui, 72, of Williamsville, NY, has pleaded guilty to obtaining controlled substances by fraud, a federal crime carrying up to four years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The longtime physician admitted to writing fraudulent prescriptions for hydrocodone and clonazepam without ever examining the patient—part of a sordid scheme rooted in personal drug use and exploitation of a vulnerable family.

On October 13, 2016, Siddiqui wrote the prescriptions at the request of the patient’s daughter, whom he knew was addicted to pain medication—and who had previously worked for him. He didn’t just enable her addiction; he demanded a cut. The doctor provided her with seven hydrocodone and seven clonazepam pills before the pharmacy visit, then picked her up and drove her to fill the prescriptions himself, sealing a corrupt partnership built on opioids and trust betrayed.

When the woman returned to the car with the filled prescriptions, Siddiqui didn’t hesitate. He demanded the hydrocodone pills he’d given her earlier. She asked if he wanted more. His answer: “Yes.” He then took an additional 30 hydrocodone pills—directly fueling his own abuse while violating his medical oath and federal law.

The case was brought by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Astorga and stems from a DEA investigation led by Special Agent-in-Charge James J. Hunt, New York Field Division. Federal authorities zeroed in on Siddiqui’s pattern of prescribing without exams, exploiting his medical license for personal gain while putting lives at risk.

Siddiqui pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo, who will sentence the disgraced physician on April 24, 2017, at 10:00 a.m. The charge—obtaining controlled substances by fraud—exposes a dark corner of the opioid epidemic: doctors who betray their patients and their profession for a fix or a profit.

Acting U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced the plea, underscoring that no one, not even a licensed physician, is above the law. For Dr. Siddiqui, the white coat is now a stain on a once-respected career. His actions didn’t just break federal statutes—they endangered lives and undermined public trust in medicine.