Md. Doc Sentenced to 18 Years for Pill Mill

WASHINGTON — Ndubuisi Joseph Okafor, M.D., 65, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, was handed a harsh 18-year prison sentence for running a notorious pill mill from his Northwest Washington D.C. medical clinic.

Okafor, owner of Okafor Medical Associates, was found guilty on March 21, 2025, of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances (outside the course of professional practice), maintaining a drug-involved premises, and 22 counts of unlawful distribution of controlled substances (oxycodone and promethazine with codeine).

According to U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, Okafor’s illicit operation spanned at least 45 states, netting hundreds of thousands of units of oxycodone and promethazine with codeine liquid prescribed nationwide.

Between February 18, 2022, and November 30, 2022, the FBI sent undercover agents into Okafor’s medical practice for walk-in appointments, each receiving opioids after minimal examination. Further investigation revealed Okafor’s scheme involved prescribing opioids to numerous individuals using false identities, knowing they would divert the medication.

Okafor’s scheme was so brazen that even after being notified by the D.C. Board of Health about a patient complaint, he created backdated medical records to justify his prescribing. The investigation also led to the suspension of Okafor’s DEA registration number in September 2023 due to his threat to public health and safety.

Okafor was sentenced to 18 years in federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a special assessment and forfeit $213,173.97. The case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, and the District of Columbia Office of the Inspector General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Meredith Mayer-Dempsey, Trial Attorney Kathryn Furtado and paralegals Rebecca Walton, Dillon Clark, and Matthew McClarnon of the Justice Department’s Fraud Section. The team also extends its deep appreciation to Michael Goodrich, Lead Travel Analyst of the Justice Department’s Fraud Section.

The harsh sentence sends a clear message that those who exploit the medical system for personal gain will be held accountable. As the nation grapples with the opioid crisis, it’s crucial to root out those who facilitate the flow of deadly narcotics.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office and Justice Department are grateful for the efforts of law enforcement agencies nationwide, including the Apex, North Carolina Police Department, the Warsaw, New York, Police Department, the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigations, Pennsylvania State Police, State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy, and the Noble County, Ohio, Sheriff’s Office, for their support and cooperation during the investigation and trial.

As we reflect on the devastating impact of the opioid crisis, we must remain vigilant in our pursuit of justice and hold accountable those who put profits over people.