LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) — A physician from Southfield has been convicted on 11 costs stemming from writing greater than 3,000 unlawful prescriptions at what federal prosecutors known as a “sham clinic.”
A federal jury convicted Dr. Charise Valentine, 69, on one cost of conspiracy and 10 counts of unlawful distribution final Friday for prescribing greater than 200,000 tablets, together with oxycodone and oxymorphone, to individuals who didn’t have an precise want for them.
Prosecutors say “patients” could be dropped at Orthopedic Medical Constructing, a false clinic that operated out of a warehouse in Oak Park, by “patient recruiters’ or “entrepreneurs.” The clinic solely accepted money and charged sufferers $200-500 per prescription, however didn’t cost something if the affected person didn’t obtain an opioid prescription.
Costs have been decided on the amount, kind, and dosage of opioids acquired, which prosecutors say have been often Oxycodone 30mg or Oxymorphone 40mg. The clinic additionally supplied a service the place individuals might pay for falsified medical information.
Prosecutors say Valentine was paid greater than $500,000 in money over round 19 months. about half of the clinic’s proceeds. She was solely paid if she wrote an opioid prescription to a affected person.
The opposite defendants on this case are clinic operator Iris Winchester, Dr. Michele Ritter, clinic worker Kristina Brown, and Joyce Robinson. All three pleaded responsible.
