A Tampa, Fla.-based pain physician and office worker were indicted Jan. 6 for alleged illegal distribution of opioids and money laundering.
Five details:
1. The indictment accuses Qing McGaha, MD, of writing medically unnecessary prescriptions for opioids at her practice, MD Care Clinic.
2. Undercover agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration had multiple appointments with Dr. McGaha during which they allege she wrote opioid prescriptions "not for a legitimate medical purpose and outside the usual course of professional practice," according to a statement from the Justice Department.
3. The indictment also accuses MD Care Clinic employee Camille Mohammed of falsifying urine screen results. Ms. Mohammed was a receptionist at the clinic and fielded calls where pharmacists expressed concerns regarding Dr. McGaha's prescription habits.
4. Dr. McGaha also allegedly entered into multiple monetary transactions over $10,000 with the ill-gotten money from her clinic, including purchasing real estate in Clearwater, Fla.
5. The United States plans to forfeit $774,216 of Dr. McGaha's money in addition to $170,482 seized from bank accounts and two properties allegedly associated with illegal proceeds, according to the indictment.