Metro Detroit Doctors, Nurses, Phamarcists Charged in $41-Million Opioid Ring

Nineteen people including a medical clinic owner, four doctors, two nurse practitioners and three phamacists have been indicted for their alleged roles in a $41 million illegal opioid distribution ring in Metro Detroit, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced Thursday.

The indictment alleges that the conspiracy operated from September 2017 through June 2020, and that Henry Rankin, III, owner of New Vision Rehab and Preferred Rehab clinics, provided money and other illegal benefits to doctors and nurse practitioners to write prescriptions for patients, who had no legitimate medical need for the drugs.

Opioids are sold illegally on the streets at a high premium.

Rankin also paid unlicensed medical professionals to pose as doctors and issue pre-signed controlled substance prescriptions.

The 44-count indictment charges that defendants illegally distributed controlled substances including Oxycodone, Oxymorphone, Oxycodone-Acetaminophen (Percocet), Hydrocodone, Hydrocodone-Acetaminophen and promethazine with codeine cough syrup.

The group found fake patients through recruiters or “marketers.”

Bogus prescriptions were presented to pharmacists who would bill insurers, including Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurers. Sometimes they accepted cash.

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Matthew Schneider

“Prescription drugs are supposed to go to people who truly need them, not to fake patients or people selling drugs on the streets,” Detroit U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider said in a statement. “We are focusing on charging doctors, pharmacists, and the networks that add to the opioid crisis, and this case is unfortunately yet another example of the serious problem facing Michigan.”

Those indicted: