NEWARK
– A physician whose license to practice
had expired has been arrested for selling
prescriptions for pain killers for cash, following
an undercover investigation coordinated by
Consumer Affairs’ Enforcement Bureau
in tandem with local and federal law enforcement
agencies.
Ronald
Rahman, whose license to practice medicine
in New Jersey expired in 2005, was arrested
on June 11 after undercover investigators
purchased prescriptions from him for oxycodone-based
drugs, including OxyContin, Roxicodone and
Percocet. Rahman sold the prescriptions, written
on New York State prescription forms, from
his car.
The
latest purchase from Rahman was the third
made by undercover investigators this year.
The investigation began after Consumer Affairs’
Enforcement Bureau received information in
early 2009 that Rahman was selling prescriptions
for Controlled Dangerous Substances from his
car at a location in Lindenwold.
“Rahman
is an enabler, supplying drug abusers with
dangerous pain killers for his own profit,”
Attorney General Anne Milgram said. “I
commend our Enforcement Bureau for its initial
investigation and then working with other
agencies once the full scope of Rahman’s
activities began to emerge.”
Rahman,
who formerly had a medical license in New
York, used prescription blanks with a bogus
office location and his cellular phone number.
“We’re
committed to keeping these potentially dangerous
drugs off the streets and protecting the public,”
said David Szuchman, Consumer Affairs Director.
“Rahman deceived pharmacies into dispensing
these products, all for the purpose of enriching
himself.”
The
Enforcement Bureau contacted the federal Drug
Enforcement Administration and the Waterford
Township Police Department in Camden County
for a joint investigation into Rahman’s
activities. The Lindenwold and Clementon Police
Departments also joined and assisted in the
investigation.
In
April, undercover investigators made the first
purchase of prescription forms from Rahman.
The forms were for 1,140 doses of oxycodone-based
drugs, with 10 prescriptions in eight different
patient names written by Rahman. He was paid
$1,200 in cash.
A
second purchase of prescription forms was
made in May, with undercover investigators
paying Rahman $1,100 for eight forms in different
names for a total of 960 doses.
Rahman
was paid $1,500 for writing 12 prescriptions
for a total of 1,440 doses in this month’s
transaction. He was immediately arrested following
the purchase.
Rahman
is being held in Camden County Jail, charged
with three counts of Distribution of a Controlled
Dangerous Substance. His bail was set at $450,000.
This matter remains under review by the U.S.
Attorney’s Office for possible federal
drug distribution charges.
#
# # |