New Haven Pharmacy Owner Yong Kwon Fined $120,000 for Controlled Substances Act Violations
Yong Kwon, the owner of Cornerstone Pharmacy, Inc. (doing business as “Whalley Drug”), a retail pharmacy in New Haven, Connecticut, has agreed to pay a hefty price for allegedly violating the Controlled Substances Act.
According to the United States Department of Justice, Kwon, the owner of Whalley Drug, has settled civil allegations that he violated the civil provisions of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) between September 2017 and June 2021.
The investigation, led by the DEA’s Office of Diversion Control and the DEA New Haven’s Tactical Diversion Squad, revealed that Kwon and Whalley Drug filled prescriptions for controlled substances without a legitimate medical purpose, in violation of the pharmacist’s corresponding responsibility to ensure that only valid prescriptions are dispensed.
During the investigation, the DEA interviewed Kwon concerning patients who overdosed after filling prescriptions at Whalley Drug, and audited the pharmacy for its compliance with CSA recordkeeping requirements, which revealed discrepancies for several controlled substances.
As a result of the investigation, the DEA discovered that Whalley Drug had filled prescriptions for controlled substances to individuals displaying red flags of abuse and addiction, including prescriptions for the high-risk “holy trinity” drug combination of at least one opioid, benzodiazepine, and a muscle relaxant.
On June 22, 2021, Kwon agreed to voluntarily surrender the DEA license for Whalley Drug, which no longer operates as a retail pharmacy. The pharmacy has since ceased operations, bringing an end to the alleged CSA violations.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Gruber prosecuted the case, assisted by the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, Drug Control Division. The federal government has accepted the settlement agreement, with Kwon paying a total of $120,000 to resolve the allegations.
The investigation and prosecution of this case serve as a reminder of the importance of responsible pharmacy practices and the consequences of violating the Controlled Substances Act.
Related Federal Cases
- New Haven’s Fonz Gets More Time for Supervised Release Violation · Connecticut
- West Haven Woman Gets 6 Years for Deadly Drug Ring · Mississippi
- New Haven Heroin & Crack Dealer Gets 2 Years · Connecticut
- Rodriguez Gets 6 Years in New Haven Heroin Ring · Connecticut
- Rivera Gets 7 Years for Fair Haven Heroin Ring · Connecticut
Key Facts
- State: Connecticut
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime|Sex Crimes|Cybercrime|Public Corruption|Weapons|Human Trafficking|White Collar Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
US NewsUS NewsUS NewsUS News