An Ohio physician has been sentenced to 40 months in prison for his role in illegally distributing controlled substances.
George Griffin, M.D., 71, of Cincinnati, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful distribution of controlled substances on October 5, 2020.
According to court documents, Griffin prescribed controlled substances to patients in amounts and for lengths of time that were outside the scope of legitimate medical practice. Griffin routinely prescribed controlled substances to patients even though various ‘red flags’ suggested that he should stop writing those prescriptions, change the prescriptions, and/or counsel patients accordingly. Further, according to court documents, Griffin prescribed dangerous combinations of drugs known to heighten the risk of overdose and death.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicholas L. McQuaid; Acting U.S. Attorney Vipal Patel of the Southern District of Ohio; Special Agent in Charge Keith Martin of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Detroit Division; Special Agent in Charge William ‘Chris’ Hoffman of the FBI’s Cincinnati Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Lamont Pugh III of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General’s (HHS-OIG) Chicago Regional Office made the announcement.
The DEA; FBI; HHS-OIG; Ohio Attorney General’s Office; Ohio Bureau of Worker’s Compensation; and Ohio Board of Pharmacy investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Chris Jason, and Katherine Pridemore of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of the Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid (ARPO) Strike Force. Since its inception in October 2018, the ARPO Strike Force has charged 91 defendants, including 68 licensed medical professionals, and its casework has targeted the alleged illegal distribution of more than 65 million controlled substance pills involving more than 350,000 prescriptions.
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Key Facts
- State: Ohio
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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