Michael Paulsen, the owner of Regal Remedies, was arrested Sept. 12 after officials say he dispensed more than 100,000 oxycodone pills to people without prescriptions between March 2016 and September 2019.
Mr. Paulsen is not a licensed pharmacist and had no legal right to distribute controlled substances, according to the report.
Mr. Paulsen also is accused of bribing customers to order medically-unnecessary products. Prosecutors say he would then bill Medicare, Medicaid and other insurers for reimbursements on those unnecessary products and provide a portion of those payments to the customer.
He faces one count of conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute oxycodone illegally, one count of healthcare fraud and one count of paying kickbacks to induce individuals to purchase items under a federal healthcare program.
If convicted, Mr. Paulsen faces up to 50 years in jail.
More articles on pharmacy:
Civica Rx says it isn’t afraid of competition
10 hospitals seeking pharmacy leaders
NIH probes personnel issues at its hospital pharmacy
At the Becker's 11th Annual IT + Revenue Cycle Conference: The Future of AI & Digital Health, taking place September 14–17 in Chicago, healthcare executives and digital leaders from across the country will come together to explore how AI, interoperability, cybersecurity, and revenue cycle innovation are transforming care delivery, strengthening financial performance, and driving the next era of digital health. Apply for complimentary registration now.