Operation Wasted Daze: 49 Charged in $18 Million Pill Mill Scheme

U.S. Attorney’s Office – Northern District of Texas, Oct. 1, 2020

Forty-nine defendants, including two doctors and five pharmacists, have been charged with participating in an $18 million pill mill scheme, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Erin Nealy Cox.

Following an exhaustive investigation by the DEA’s Fort Worth Tactical Diversion Squad, 40 of the 49 defendants were arrested last week in “Operation Wasted Daze.” All 49 have been charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. The final arrested defendant made her initial appearance in court this afternoon.

“By funneling addictive opioids onto our streets, these medical professionals violated both the Hippocratic oath and federal law – causing harm rather than healing, hurt rather than hope,” said U.S. Attorney Erin Nealy Cox. “This 49-defendant case represents a significant step in the fight against drug diversion in North Texas, and we appreciate DEA’s commitment to ensuring that all pill mill doctors and conspirators are investigated and shut down.”

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