A New Orleans doctor will have to pay back millions and spend 10 years in prison for using his office as a “pill mill” for those addicted to opioids. According to federal authorities, Dr. Frederick Floyd, appeared to be running a legitimate operation from the outside, but thousands flocked to his office to get prescriptions for opioid medications. The opioid doctor had over 70 patients a day and nearly 5 million doses of prescription pain killers were distributed by the office, say authorities. The opioid doctor himself illegally distributed half of the opioid drugs, including Oxycodone, Percocet and Xanax.
The Justice Department and Drug Enforcement Administration ran an undercover operation to expose the opioid doctor. Agents disguised as patients took audio and video recordings of pill mill operations.
“Written prescriptions for controlled substances for patients were generated at the clinics at an assembly line process, where certain clinic staff members routinely copied the last prescription issued for each patient and Dr. Floyd would then perfunctorily sign the prescriptions without proper oversight,” state court documents.
Federal authorities say the opioid doctor operated two clinics that ran on a cash-only basis.
Patients paid approximately $300 to office staff when they arrived and then waited.
When they were called in, staff would take their height, weight and maybe a urine sample. The undercover operation revealed that the measurements were perfunctory.
“A clinic staff employee provided an unlabeled cup for a urine sample. The (undercover agent) asked the clinic employee if (he) needed to write (his) name on the urine sample container. The clinic employee advised (him) that no label was required and instructed (him) to place his urine sample with the other samples from other patients,” describe court documents. “The (undercover agent) noted that none of the urine sample cups provided by other patients were labeled in any way and were indistinguishable one from the other.”
The opioid doctor would then visit patients and do an examination, but authorities say that the doctor’s exam was perfunctory as well and no discussion of pain or treatment plan included. The opioid doctor would then provide prescriptions for powerful, addictive pain killers.
The opioid doctor will be required to turn over nearly $3 million in assets and serve a 10-year sentence. He pled guilty to illegally dispensing controlled substances, conspiracy, and money laundering.
“Let this lengthy sentence be a message to all that DEA will continue to pursue, arrest, and prosecute drug traffickers of every type, including rogue medical professionals,” says a statement from the US Attorney General concerning the case. “Dr. Frederick Floyd took an oath to serve humanity as an educated medical professional and decided to violate that oath and his duty by choosing to peddle prescription drugs for one sole purpose — greed.”
The Opioid Doctor Pill Mill Lawsuit is United States of America vs. Frederick Floyd, Case No. 2:17-cr-00148, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
If you or a loved one has been a victim of an opioid doctor, contact the experienced attorneys at McDonald Worley for help.
Disclaimer: McDonald Worley is not representing the plaintiff in this lawsuit.