Patrick Simanjuntak, Insulin Trafficking, Virginia 2023

A Norfolk man has been sentenced for illegally distributing insulin on the black market.

Patrick Simanjuntak, a 41-year-old native of Indonesia, was sentenced to 5 years of probation in the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia in Abingdon. He has 30 days to leave the U.S. and is not permitted to return to the country until after he has successfully completed his sentence.

Simanjuntak was previously charged with one count of misbranding a drug and selling a drug outside of a legitimate supply chain. He previously pled guilty to the charges.

The investigation began in November 2015, when the FDA learned that Simanjuntak was advertising the sale of insulin on multiple Craigslist sites in the mid-Atlantic region. Over the course of several months, an undercover FDA agent made five separate purchases of pre-filled insulin injection pens from Simanjuntak, cumulatively purchasing 17 boxes of insulin for $1,870 through Paypal.

At no time during the transactions did Simanjuntak ask for, or require, a valid prescription for the insulin. On two occasions, the agent received boxes of insulin from Simanjuntak which still had affixed to them prescription labels for other patients.

The public must be sure the drugs they consume are safe, have been properly inspected, and are only being used under the care of a licensed physician, said United States Attorney John P. Fishwick Jr. When individuals like Simanjuntak put lives at risk by selling prescription drugs on the black market, without a prescription or the umbrella of Food and Drug Administration oversight, we will hold them accountable.

Simanjuntak is neither a licensed medical professional nor licensed to distribute prescription medication. The investigation was conducted by the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations. Randy Ramseyer prosecuted the case for the United States.

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