Portland medical clinic operators suspended in connection to 21-person painkiller conspiracy

A 39-count indictment unsealed Thursday by a U.S. District Court revealed two operators of Portland, Ore.-based Fusion Wellness Clinic and 19 others have been indicted for prescribing excessive amounts of painkillers to patients, according to The Oregonian.

Julie Ann Demille, 58, and Osasuyi Kenneth Idumwonyi, 55, who together operate the clinic, opened it in January 2015 after losing jobs at three Houston-based clinics that shuttered due to federal investigations into prescribing practices, according to the report. 

Ms. Demille, who is a nurse practitioner, allegedly prescribed excessive amounts of painkillers to first-time patients without exams or review of patient history, according to the report. Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Ehlers wrote in the indictment that she sometimes conducted appointments that lasted 45 to 90 seconds, according to the report. Mr. Idomwanyi served as the office manager. 

Nineteen others charged in the case were involved as patient recruiters and would allegedly split fees with patients in exchange for some of their painkillers, according to the report.

 

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