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Doctor and Pharmacist Arrested in Pill Mill Scheme
A local doctor and pharmacist were arrested yesterday morning on federal charges stemming from their respective roles in a conspiracy to distribute controlled substances illegally, including oxycodone and hydrocodone, in a pill mill operation, announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas.
Special agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration arrested Dr. Richard Andrews, 63, of Dallas; Muhammad Faridi, 39, of Murphy, Texas; Adrian Banks, 22, of Dallas; and pharmacist Ndufola Kigham, 44, of Arlington, Texas. Each is charged in a just-unsealed second superseding indictment with one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.
Each made his initial appearance yesterday afternoon in federal court in Dallas. After agreeing to surrender their DEA registration numbers, Dr. Andrews and pharmacist Kigham were released on bond. Surrendering their registration numbers prevents Dr. Andrews from issuing prescriptions for controlled substances and pharmacist Kigham from dispensing controlled substances. Faridi and Banks were detained pending hearings set for tomorrow, Friday, January 22, at 1:00 p.m.
This indictment also charges Brandon Dunbar, 32, of Houston; Kumi Frimpong, 55, of Grand Prairie, Texas; and Lee Robertson, 31, presently in state custody in Louisiana; with the same offense. In addition, Banks, Dunbar and Robertson are also each charged with one count and Frimpong with two counts, of unlawful use of a communication facility.
According to the second superseding indictment, returned earlier this month by a grand jury in Dallas, Andrews is a doctor of osteopathy and co-owner and supervising physician of McAllen Medical Clinic, located on South Hampton in Dallas. Frimpong and Kigham are licensed pharmacists. Frimpong is the owner, operator, and pharmacist in charge of Cornerstone Pharmacy, located on Bolton Boone in Desoto, Texas. Kigham is the owner, operator, and pharmacist in charge of GenPharm Pharmacy, located on Wheatland Road in Desoto.
The indictment alleges that from approximately January 2013 through July 2014, Andrews, Banks, Dunbar, Faridi, Frimpong, Kigham, Robertson, and others previously charged in the indictment, conspired to possess with intent to distribute, distribute, and cause to be distributed, oxycodone, a Schedule II controlled substance, and hydrocodone, a Schedule III controlled substance, without a legitimate medical purpose and not in the usual course of professional practice.
As part of the conspiracy, individuals who were homeless, or of limited means, were recruited to pose as patients at certain medical clinics to obtain prescriptions for oxycodone and hydrocodone and fill those prescriptions at designated pharmacies. The recruits were typically paid a fee, such as $30. Recruiters would organize the recruits so that another individual would pick them up and transport them to and from the clinics. The drivers or the script ringleader would typically pay the recruiters a small fee, such as $15, for each person they recruited. Drivers or script ringleaders would coach recruits on what to say inside the clinic to obtain the specified prescription. Drivers or script ringleaders paid for the recruits’ clinic visits.
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Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime|Sex Crimes|Cybercrime|Public Corruption|Weapons|Human Trafficking|White Collar Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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