Dr. Clifford Jacobson, a 68-year-old Rochester psychiatrist, is no longer licensed to practice medicine after admitting to peddling prescription drugs to anyone with cash—no diagnosis required. Jacobson was sentenced to one year of probation, including four months of home confinement, after pleading guilty to illegally distributing controlled substances.
The fallout comes after a multi-year investigation revealed Jacobson sold prescriptions for Schedule IV drugs, including clonazepam, to undercover agents and patients who had no medical need. From 2014 to 2017, he charged $120 per illegal script, turning his medical license into a cash register for recreational drug seekers.
U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa imposed the sentence, which also includes $75,000 in financial penalties—repayments owed to Medicaid and the federal government. The penalty reflects both the criminal conduct and the abuse of public healthcare funds.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Field, who prosecuted the case, emphasized the betrayal of public trust. ‘Jacobson didn’t heal—he exploited. He weaponized his prescription pad for profit while endangering lives,’ Field stated.
The probe was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New York Field Division, under Special Agent-in-Charge James J. Hunt, and the New York State Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, operating under former Attorney General Eric Schneiderman. Evidence gathered included recorded transactions and patient records showing blatant disregard for medical standards.
Now stripped of his medical license and his freedom for four months, Jacobson’s fall from healer to dealer underscores a grim trend: when the Hippocratic Oath is sold by the prescription, justice steps in—with handcuffs and a bill to pay.
Related Federal Cases
- Rochester PA Jeffrey Leathersich Cops Plea in Oxycodone Scheme · New York
- Bolivia’s Top Drug Cop Gets 25 Years in US Prison · New York
- From Drug Warrior to Kingpin: Ex-Bolivian Official Gets 25 Years · New York
- Bolivian ‘Drug Czar’ Unmasked: 25 Years for Cocaine Conspiracy · Indiana
- Rite Aid Hit With $5M Fine in Drug Diversion Scheme · Florida
Key Facts
- State: New York
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
Drug TraffickingDrug TraffickingDrug TraffickingDrug Trafficking