Press Release
☷Dearborn Doctor Pleads Guilty to Diverting Prescription Pills
Federal Bureau of Investigation ( By Press Release office)
May 04,2022
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Dearborn Doctor Pleads Guilty to Diverting Prescription Pills DETROIT - Dearborn physician Tete Oniango , 47 , pleaded guilty yesterday to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances , and agreed to forfeit approximately $37 , 000 in cash seized from his office , announced United States Attorney Dawn N . Ison . Ison was joined in the announcement by James A . Tarasca , Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Detroit Division and Special Agent in Charge Mario Pinto of the U . S . Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General ( HHS - OIG ) Chicago Regional Office . According to court records , Dr . Oniango admitted to prescribing 12 , 500 dosage units of hydrocodone , a powerful , Schedule II controlled substance without regard to medical necessity . Oniango issued these prescription drugs outside the course of professional medical practice and without any legitimate medical need for the drugs . U . S . Attorney Ison said , “Hydrocodone is extremely addictive and can lead to addiction and eventual heroin use . Michigan has seen a devastating number of opioid drug overdoses in the last five years . My office remains committed to pursuing medical providers who abuse their roles as caregivers and inflict harm upon our community . ”Special Agent in Charge Tarasca stated , “Physicians who provide prescription drugs without a legitimate medical purpose are contributing to the drug epidemic in our community . The message should be clear , the FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to focus our efforts on any doctor or healthcare professional who prioritizes profit over patient health and safety . ”“Physicians , and other medical practitioners , who place profits ahead of their patients by prescribing powerful controlled substances outside of medical necessity , unnecessarily risk the safety of those who they are charged to care for , ” said Mario M . Pinto , Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General ( HHS - OIG ) . “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who needlessly prescribe controlled substances at the expense of the well - being of others . ”Sentencing is set for August 22 , 2022 . This case was prosecuted by Assistant U . S . Attorney Philip A . Ross as part of the district’s efforts to address the nation’s opioid crisis . The Eastern District of Michigan is one of twelve districts included in the Attorney General’s Opioid Fraud Abuse and Detection initiative .
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