A New Bern physician is staring down a federal firestorm after a 31-count indictment unsealed in Greenville alleges he turned his medical practice into a pill mill for oxycodone, alprazolam, and other controlled substances. Dr. SANJAY KUMAR, age 50, of New Bern, is charged with Conspiracy to Unlawfully Dispense and Distribute Oxycodone, Oxymorphone, Hydromorphone, and Alprazolam; Distribution of Oxycodone and Alprazolam; and multiple counts tied to money laundering and firearm possession.
Federal prosecutors say Kumar didn’t just write illegal prescriptions—he allegedly ran a criminal enterprise masked as a clinic. The indictment accuses him of distributing powerful narcotics without legitimate medical purpose, enriching himself while feeding addiction across eastern North Carolina. Each drug-related count carries a maximum penalty of twenty years in prison, a $1 million fine, and at least three years of supervised release.
But the charges go beyond pills. Kumar also faces a count of Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime—a charge that mandates a minimum of five years in prison, to be served consecutively, and carries a potential life sentence. A second or subsequent conviction on that charge would trigger a mandatory twenty-five-year minimum. Authorities say the firearm was directly linked to the ongoing drug operation.
The financial crimes are equally damning. Kumar is charged with Engaging in Monetary Transactions in Property Derived from Specified Unlawful Activity—each count punishable by up to ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He’s also hit with full-scale Laundering of Monetary Instruments, which carries a maximum penalty of twenty years per count, fines up to $500,000 or double the value of the property involved, and up to three years of supervised release.
This case is the result of a sprawling investigation led by the New Bern Police Department (NBPD), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigations, the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), and the Craven County Sheriff’s Office. The collaboration underscores the depth of the alleged operation—one that crossed medical, criminal, and financial lines.
The indictment is not a conviction. SANJAY KUMAR is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. But with 31 counts stacked against him and federal agencies circling, the fall from white coat to orange jumpsuit could be swift and brutal.
Related Federal Cases
- New Bern Heroin Kingpin Gets 35 Years · North Carolina
- Wall Street Bailout: NY & CA Lose $2 Trillion · North Carolina
- AI Fraud: Millions Stolen From Real Artists · North Carolina
- Bot Bucks: NC Man Confesses to Billion-Stream Royalty Heist · North Carolina
- AI-Fueled Fraud: NC Man Admits to Streaming Scam · North Carolina
Key Facts
- State: North Carolina
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
