Clifford Jacobson, Illegally Distributing Controlled Substances, New York 2017
A shocking case of medical malpractice has come to light in Rochester, New York, as Dr. Clifford Jacobson, a 67-year-old psychiatrist, pleaded guilty to illegally distributing controlled substances.
Dr. Jacobson, a practicing psychiatrist from 2014 to 2017, sold prescriptions for Schedule IV controlled substances, including clonazepam, commonly known by its brand name Xanax, to undercover agents and patients who had no medical necessity for the drug but who sought to use it recreationally.
The defendant charged his patients $120 for each illegal prescription, making a significant profit from his illicit activities.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Field stated that Dr. Jacobson's actions are a clear violation of the law and a threat to public health.
The plea is the result of an investigation by Special Agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, acting under the direction of James J. Hunt, New York Field Division, and investigators of the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, acting under the direction of New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman.
Dr. Clifford Jacobson faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for his crimes.
Sentencing is scheduled for January 23, 2018, at 9:15 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa.
Key Facts
- State: New York
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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