Three Charged In New London Prescription Drug Fraud

Three people have been charged with using employment in a New London physician’s office to illegally obtain prescription drugs, U.S. Attorney David B. Fein announced this week.

Arrested were 51-year-old Linda McDougal of Niantic, 53-year-old Susan Turitto of North Stonington, and her 54-year-old husband Craig Levine of North Stonington. All have been accused of multiple federal offenses related to fraudulent prescriptions to obtain the drugs and their subsequent distribution.

According to an affidavit by Agent Dana K. Drown of the Office of the Inspector General of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, McDougal worked as an office manager in a New London physician’s office from 2005 until 2009. The report does not identify the doctor, but describes him as a thoracic, vascular, and general surgeon with the initials M.D.

Drown states that McDougal had access to information such as the doctor’s registration number and used it to order prescription drugs for herself and family members from pharmacies in Waterford. The report says McDougal also ordered bulk quantities of prescription drugs from a wholesale medical supply company in Farmington. The prescriptions were paid for through McDougal’s health insurance plan, while the bulk orders were paid through the doctor’s office without his knowledge.

In another affidavit, Drown says Turitto assisted in the scheme by picking up prescriptions McDougal ordered in her name. Drown said Turitto began working part-time for the doctor in 2009 after McDougal left the job. Turitto is also accused of calling in fraudulent prescriptions to Groton pharmacies for herself and Levine, as well as a friend who became a cooperating witness in the case. Drown said Turitto also ordered bulk quantities of prescription drugs through the doctor’s office.

Fein said the prescriptions were for drugs such as hydrocodone/acetaminophen (sometimes sold under the brand name Vicodin), alprazolam (sometimes sold under the brand name Xanax), zolpidem (sometimes sold under the brand name Ambien), and lorazepam (sometimes sold under the brand name Ativan) as well as bulk purchases of hydrocodone/acetaminophen and diazepam (sometimes sold under the brand name Valium). He said Turitto and Levine received more than 100 fraudulent prescriptions for more than 5,000 tablets of hydrocodone/acetaminophen.

Each of the three people is charged with illegal distribution of various controlled substances; obtaining controlled substances by misrepresentation, fraud, deception, or subterfuge; health care fraud, and making false statements relating to a health care fraud matter. If convicted, they face between four and 10 years in prison.

The arrests are part of “Operation Pharm Team,” an investigation started in October of 2010 to investigate the misuse of prescription drugs. Investigators include the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Offices of the Inspectors General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Food and Drug Administration, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Drug Control Division of the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Chief State’s Attorney’s Office, the Connecticut Attorney General’s Office, and members of local police departments.