A 20-count indictment returned May 21 charges Manuel Barit, MD, a Mullens (W. Va.) family clinic physician, with unlawful distribution of prescription opioids and healthcare fraud.
Dr. Barit is charged with distribution of schedule II controlled substances, including hydrocodone, and scheming to defraud Medicare and Medicaid. He is accused of submitting claims indicating he was treating patients at his clinic when he was outside the U.S. The alleged crimes occurred between Oct. 7, 2013 and Jan. 24.
"Today we are facing the worst drug crisis in American history, with one American dying of a drug overdose every nine minutes," said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. "It's incredible but true that some of our trusted medical professionals have chosen to violate their oaths and exploit this crisis for profit."
If Dr. Barit is convicted on all 20 charges, he faces up to 390 years in prison and a $5 million fine.