GRAND RAPIDS – Former Battle Creek doctor Shekhar Thakur is shelling out $705,075 to settle a federal lawsuit accusing him of turning his practice, Parkside Medical, into a pill mill. The U.S. Attorney’s Office alleges Thakur flagrantly violated the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), prioritizing profit over patient wellbeing.
The feds came down on Thakur after a July 9, 2024, lawsuit detailed a pattern of reckless prescribing. According to the complaint, Thakur routinely handed out highly addictive and dangerous Schedule II opioids – and other controlled substances – with little to no legitimate medical justification. Forget thorough physical exams, medical record reviews, or even basic testing. Thakur allegedly scribbled prescriptions based on patient claims of pain, ignoring glaring red flags.
Those red flags? Failed drug screens showing patients using illicit substances, or worse, not even taking the meds Thakur prescribed. The lawsuit claims Thakur also recklessly combined opioids with benzodiazepines – a dangerous cocktail that significantly increases the risk of overdose and death. The government alleges Thakur knew his patients weren’t seeking treatment, they were seeking a fix. “Many patients sought out Thakur to feed their addictions to opioids or benzodiazepines. Some of Thakur’s patients shared their drugs with others or sold them on the street,” the complaint stated.
Thakur agreed to the hefty settlement to make the case disappear, avoiding a potentially embarrassing and damaging trial. While he didn’t admit to any wrongdoing, his medical licenses were already revoked in 2022 and 2023. He voluntarily surrendered his DEA registration back in 2020, effectively ending his ability to prescribe controlled substances. As part of the deal, he’s permanently barred from ever applying for reinstatement.
U.S. Attorney Timothy VerHey didn’t mince words: “When doctors prescribe drugs without a proper medical purpose, they are drug dealers.” He emphasized the office’s dedication to holding medical professionals accountable when they cross that line. Andrew Lawton, Acting Special Agent in Charge of DEA’s Detroit Field Division, added, “Physicians who recklessly prescribe controlled substances endanger patients’ lives and erode communities. We will tirelessly investigate and hold accountable the people responsible for flooding Michigan with illegitimate drugs, to include doctors and healthcare professionals.”
This bust was a joint operation between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Whitney M. Schnurr and Ryan D. Cobb, along with Stacy Race from DEA’s Office of Chief Counsel, led the investigation and prosecution. Case details can be found on the Court’s online docket under United States v. Thakur, 1-24-cv-00707 (W.D. Mich.). It’s important to note that the claims resolved are allegations only, and there has been no formal determination of liability.
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Key Facts
- State: Michigan
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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