Three pharmacists and one New York City physician were charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute oxycodone Oct. 12, according to the Justice Department.
Somsri Ratanaprasatporn, MD, pharmacists Bassam Amin, Omar Elsayed and Yousef Ennab, and four other individuals were indicted for allegedly running a drug distribution ring since 2018 and distributing 1.2 million oxycodone pills worth up to $24 million.
"Ratanaprasatporn, a pediatrician and general practitioner, and [her office manager Leticia] Smith, issued the prescriptions; Amin, Ennab and Elsayed filled the prescriptions at pharmacies in Brooklyn and Staten Island," and the four other individuals "oversaw 'crews' of sham patients" to obtain the oxycodone pills, the department said.
If charged, the defendants face up to 20 years in prison, according to the Justice Department.