Eastern District of Pennsylvania

Keith Gidelson, 36, a former Philadelphia Police Detective, was sentenced today to 4 years in prison for operating anabolic steroid and human growth hormone (“HGH”) distribution organization in Philadelphia and throughout the United States. His wife, Kirsten Gidelson, was sentenced to three years probation, with the first year on home confinement, and a $100 special assessment, for her participation in the conspiracy. Gidelson acquired steroids from foreign suppliers and then sold these steroids to his co-conspirators who distributed the drugs to their own customers. He pleaded guilty October 9, 2012, to conspiracy to distribute anabolic steroids and 16 counts of possession with intent to distribute anabolic steroids. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Paul S. Diamond ordered Gidelson to pay a $25,000 fine and ordered three years of supervised release.

Gidelson received monthly shipments of anabolic steroids and HGH from suppliers in Europe and China. One supplier shipped the steroids to California where defendant Robert Walters re-packaged them for shipment to Gidelson. Another supplier shipped orders of steroids to a mailbox that Gidelson had rented at a UPS store. Gidelson and his wife stored and packaged steroids and HGH at their home in Philadelphia. The couple met with drug customers, including defendants Michael Barclay, Keith Ebner, Jeffrey Filoon, Christian Kowalko, Joel Levin, Luke Lors, Joseph McIntyre, George Sambuca, William Schiavo, and Vaidotas Verikas, at their home and at Philadelphia-area fitness clubs, to distribute anabolic steroids and HGH in various quantities.

Gidelson also distributed steroids to customers throughout the United States that he met through online weightlifting chat rooms on websites including: Steroids.com; Inject.com; Isteroids.com; and Bodybuilding.com. Gidelson also allegedly used the electronic mail service yahoo.com, and the encrypted email services hushmail.com and safemail.com to place orders and communicate with his foreign suppliers.

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Philadelphia Police Department, and the United States Postal Inspection Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David L. Axelrod.

UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, EASTERN DISTRICTof PENNSYLVANIA
Suite 1250, 615 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
PATTY HARTMAN, Media Contact, 215-861-8525

PHILADELPHIA - Worldwide Language Resources, Inc., and its president, Lawrence P. Costa, have agreed to pay $5 million to resolve civil liabilities under the False Claims Act for allegedly providing untested linguists to the United States Department of Defense operating in overseas combat zones and for other military venues. This settlement, announced by U.S. Attorney Zane David Memeger, also resolves allegations that Worldwide which, at the time, was operating in Maine, billed the government for linguist services that were not provided.

The untested linguists were provided under two contracts. A 1999 Contract was a “requirements” contract that obligated the government to fill all of its requirements for linguist services exclusively from Worldwide; the government could not acquire such services from any other entity or person. The 2003 Contract with Worldwide provided for a lower price than that previously provided under the GSA Contract for certain services, and was designed to reduce the costs to the government of acquiring those services. Both the 1999 and 2003 Worldwide contracts included qualification requirements for the proficiency of the linguists supplied by Worldwide pursuant to the delivery orders, including requirements that each linguist take certain proficiency tests and achieve certain test scores in order to be acceptable to work under the contracts.

The government alleges that Worldwide knowingly supplied untested linguists under the
1999 Contract and the 2003 Contract until March 2004, despite its knowledge that both contracts included specific testing requirements. The government alleges that: Worldwide failed to test its linguists; failed to notify any government employee that it was not testing its linguists; continued to supply untested linguists to the government to serve in overseas combat areas and other military venues; and continued to invoice the government for the services of these untested linguists and certify its compliance with the contractual testing requirements. Worldwide did not know if its untested linguists were adequate to the assigned tasks.

Without the testing, the government was asked to pay for linguists who were untested in the subject language and/or English who may have had inadequate or no proficiency, potentially obligating the government to pay for a useless “service,” or services which were insufficient to meet the needs of military personnel.

In addition, the government alleges that Worldwide: billed the government for linguist services that were not provided at all; claimed payment for linguists’ services for more than the number of days in the billing period; invoiced the government for services of a linguist who was incapacitated and unable to provide services; invoiced additional man-days that were not worked by any linguists; and invoiced for the services of one linguist twice under two separate delivery orders for work performed only once.

The United States’ investigation included whistleblower allegations brought by former Worldwide employees Brian Remmey and Khalil Nouri, who filed lawsuits on behalf of the United States under the whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act. Remmey and Nouri will share $925,000 from the settlement amount.

Assistant United States Attorneys Susan Dein Bricklin and Viveca D. Parker handled the civil investigation and settlement negotiations. Auditor Dawn Wiggins of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania contributed significantly to both the investigation and negotiation of the government’s claims. The Department of Defense Criminal Investigative Service and Contract Audit Agency, and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service also participated in the investigation.

UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, EASTERN DISTRICTof PENNSYLVANIA
Suite 1250, 615 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
PATTY HARTMAN, Media Contact, 215-861-8525

PHILADELPHIA - John Grzyminski, 50, of Warrington, PA, was sentenced today to 30 months in prison for the illegal possession of an unregistered explosive device. On May 9, 2012, the defendant’s mother called the Warrington Township Police Department to report that she felt threatened by the defendant. Police arrived and, after the officers left, the defendant’s mother found a pipe bomb on her kitchen counter. The Warrington Police Department was again dispatched to the residence along with the Philadelphia Police Department Bomb Disposal Unit (PPDBDU) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

Bomb technicians found two additional pipe bombs in an upstairs bedroom and bomb making materials in the garage. Grzyminski was arrested after being stopped by the Solebury Township Police on May 10, 2012. He told police that he had made the bombs for hunting bears, and that he also liked to throw them into lakes for entertainment. The defendant stated that he had manufactured the bombs over a 12 year period. He pleaded guilty to the charge on September 17, 2012.

In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Stewart Dalzell ordered three years of supervised release.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Judy G. Smith.

UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, EASTERN DISTRICTof PENNSYLVANIA
Suite 1250, 615 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
PATTY HARTMAN, Media Contact, 215-861-8525

Nikolae Savva, 36, of Oradea, Romania, was charged on September 3, 2013 by Information with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and possession of a fraudulent passport, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger.  Savva conspired with others to defraud persons who sought to purchase used vehicles on the internet.  Savva used false passports supplied by other conspirators to open bank accounts in the United States for the purpose of receiving funds obtained by fraud from the prospective buyers.  These buyers would wire money to the bank accounts opened by Savva and Savva would immediately withdraw the funds and then wire most of the money to conspirators outside the United States.  The buyer was not able to recover the funds she sent after she discovered that the offer to sell the vehicle was fraudulent.

If convicted the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 30 years imprisonment; 3 years supervised release; $500,000 fine; restitution, forfeiture and a $200 special assessment

The case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation and United States Customs and Border Protection, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Albert S. Glenn.

Click here to view the indictment

An Indictment, Information or Criminal Complaint is an accusation.  A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, EASTERN DISTRICTof PENNSYLVANIA
Suite 1250, 615 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
PATTY HARTMAN, Media Contact, 215-861-8525

PHILADELPHIA - Venus Jenkins, 40, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a U.S. Postal Service employee, was charged today by Information with one count of theft of Government funds, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger. The information alleges that from on or about June 2, 2010 to on or about December 7, 2011, Venus Jenkins implemented a scheme to steal funds from the United States Postal Service by using her position as a Sales and Service Associate to transact over 200 fictitious and fraudulent refunds, resulting in total losses to the government of approximately $17,011.24.

If convicted the defendants each face a maximum possible sentence of ten years incarceration, a $250,000.00 fine, and three years supervised release.

The case was investigated by the United States Postal Service Office of the Inspector General and is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Thomas Moshang III.

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UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, EASTERN DISTRICTof PENNSYLVANIA
Suite 1250, 615 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
PATTY HARTMAN, Media Contact, 215-861-8525

Crystal Anderson, 45, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was charged today by Information with one count of theft of government funds and three counts of social security fraud, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger. The information alleges that from in or about January 1996 through in or about November 2011, Crystal Anderson implemented a scheme to defraud the SSA by receiving disability insurance benefits and supplemental security income benefits while concealing that she was working and earning income and receiving dual benefits from SSA, for a period of almost 16 years, using a different name and social security number, resulting in losses to the government of approximately $105,108.32. In furtherance of her scheme, Ms. Anderson allegedly provided a fraudulently obtained social security number in order to obtain a false photographic identification card.

If convicted the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 25 years imprisonment, a three year period of supervised release, a $1,000,000.00 fine, and a $400.00 special assessment. Full restitution of as much as $105,108.32 may be ordered.

The case was investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General and is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Thomas Moshang III.

 

UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, EASTERN DISTRICTof PENNSYLVANIA
Suite 1250, 615 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
PATTY HARTMAN, Media Contact, 215-861-8525

Ron Credle, 48, of East Orange, New Jersey, was charged today by Information with one count of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger.

Credle faces a maximum sentence of 32 years imprisonment and a mandatory minimum of at least two years in prison. He also faces a $1.25 million fine and a $200 special assessment.

The case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael S. Lowe.

Click here to view the indictment

UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, EASTERN DISTRICTof PENNSYLVANIA
Suite 1250, 615 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
PATTY HARTMAN, Media Contact, 215-861-8525

PHILADELPHIA - A federal court jury today returned guilty verdicts against Joseph Massimino, Damion Canalichio, and Gary Battaglini for conspiring to participate in the affairs of the Philadelphia La Cosa Nostra (LCN) Family through a pattern of racketeering activity and through the collection of unlawful debts. The jury also returned guilty verdicts against co-defendant Anthony Staino, Jr. for conspiracy to make extortionate extensions of credit and conspiracy to collect extensions of credit by extortionate means. Trial lasted 43 days. Five co-defendants charged in the case pleaded guilty prior to trial while three additional co-defendants are still awaiting trial. U.S. District Court Judge Eduardo C. Robreno scheduled sentencing hearings for May 21, 2013 and scheduled bail hearings for February 6, 2013. Each charge of racketeering conspiracy carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

The jury was undecided ("hung") on several counts pertaining to defendants Joseph Ligambi, George Borgesi, and Joseph Massimino. Judge Robreno declared a mistrial on those counts. The jury found defendants Ligambi, Staino, Brogesi, Canalichio, and Battaglini not guilty of several substantive counts; Joseph Licata was found not guilty.

In addition to prison terms, the defendants each face possible fines of up to $250,000 for each count.

The case is being investigated by the FBI, the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division, the Pennsylvania State Police, the New Jersey State Police, the Philadelphia Police Department, and the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General Office of Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigations, and Employee Benefits Security Administration. Additional assistance was provided by the New Jersey Department of Corrections. Valuable prosecutorial assistance was provided by the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General.

The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney John S. Han of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frank A. Labor III and Suzanne B. Ercole.

UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, EASTERN DISTRICTof PENNSYLVANIA
Suite 1250, 615 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
PATTY HARTMAN, Media Contact, 215-861-8525

PHILADELPHIA - Willie G. Manley, Jr., 62, of Lansdale, Pennsylvania, was charged yesterday, by Information, with one count of conspiracy to commit loan and wire fraud, three counts of loan fraud, one count of making a false statement in connection with a Federal Housing Administration Loan, two counts of wire fraud, and aiding and abetting, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger.

The information alleges a massive mortgage fraud conspiracy the operated between May 2004 and February 2009, primarily in the West Philadelphia section of the city of Philadelphia. Manley, an accountant, is alleged to have created false income documents, such as W-2 forms, paystubs, and Form 1040 income tax returns that were submitted to lenders to help induce the lenders into issuing mortgages for the properties. The information alleges that other co-conspirators included an appraiser who issued grossly inflated appraisals, a title agent who created false title insurance policies, contractors who submitted false receipts to show home repairs that had never been done, and numerous straw buyers whose names and identities were used to purchase the properties. The information alleges that a Philadelphia-based property settlement company - “KREW Settlement Services” - was at the center of the conspiracy. The information alleges that all told, the mortgage fraud scheme involved more than 100 properties and over $20 million in loan proceeds, with most of the mortgages being unpaid and the properties falling into foreclosure.

If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence 137 years in prison, five years supervised release, restitution of up to $13.7 million, a fine of up to $4 million and a $700 special assessment.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael S. Lowe.

Click here to view the indictment

UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, EASTERN DISTRICTof PENNSYLVANIA
Suite 1250, 615 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
PATTY HARTMAN, Media Contact, 215-861-8525

PHILADELPHIA - Philippe Jeannard, 61, of La Rochelle, France, was sentenced today to time served for one count of fraud in connection with an identification document.  Jeannard has been in federal custody since March 21, 2013.  He was arrested after he boarded a commercial airplane, on March 20, 2013, at Philadelphia International Airport, using a fraudulent Air France identification card of a former Air France employee and gained access to the plane’s cockpit.

            U.S. District Court Judge Gene E.K. Pratter also ordered Jeannard to pay $4,875 in reimbursement for counsel’s fees that she found he had the ability to pay.  He was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment.  Jeannard will be deported and will not be permitted back into the United States without written permission from the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.

            The case was investigated by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI, and the Philadelphia Police Department.  It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney K.T. Newton.

UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, EASTERN DISTRICTof PENNSYLVANIA
Suite 1250, 615 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
PATTY HARTMAN, Media Contact, 215-861-8525

PHILADELPHIA – Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Janssen), a subsidiary of health care giant Johnson & Johnson (J&J), pleaded guilty today to a one count information charging Janssen with introducing a misbranded drug, Risperdal, into interstate commerce. U.S. District Court Judge Timothy J. Savage sentenced the company, ordering payment of a $344 million fine and forfeiture of $66 million.

Risperdal, an atypical anti-psychotic drug, was originally approved only to treat the management of the manifestations of psychotic disorders.  On March 3, 2002, the approved use was narrowed to treatment of schizophrenia only.  Janssen introduced Risperdal for a new, unapproved use, rendering the product misbranded. In a plea agreement resolving these charges, Janssen admits that between March 3, 2002, and December 31, 2003, it promoted Risperdal to health care providers for treatment of psychotic symptoms and associated disturbances exhibited by elderly, non-schizophrenic dementia patients, uses not approved as safe and effective by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) requires a pharmaceutical company to specify the intended uses of a product in its new drug application to the FDA. Once approved, a drug may not be introduced into interstate commerce for unapproved or “off-label” uses. A manufacturer’s promotional activities of a drug for a use not approved by the FDA are evidence of its intent to distribute the drug for a new, unapproved use, also known as “misbranding.”

The case was investigated by the Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General, the Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigations, and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service of the Department of Defense.

The criminal case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Albert Glenn and Scott Cullen.

UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, EASTERN DISTRICTof PENNSYLVANIA
Suite 1250, 615 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
PATTY HARTMAN, Media Contact, 215-861-8525

Kevin Neal, 36, of Philadelphia, PA, was charged today by indictment with four counts of bank robbery, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger. According to the indictment, Neal robbed the First Niagara Bank, located at 9869 Bustleton Avenue, Philadelphia, on January 10, 2013; the First Niagara Bank, located at 11730 Bustleton Avenue, Philadelphia, on January 16, 2013; the PNC Bank, located at 123 Old York Road, Jenkintown, on February 16, 2013; and the Trumark Financial Credit Union, located at 7306 Castor Avenue, Philadelphia, on March 13, 2013.

If convicted of all charges, Neal faces a maximum sentence of 80 years in prison, a fine of up to $1 millionod of supervised release of three years, a $1,000,000 fine, a $100 special assessment, and restitution.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Philadelphia Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ewald Zittlau.

Click here to view the indictment

UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, EASTERN DISTRICTof PENNSYLVANIA
Suite 1250, 615 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
PATTY HARTMAN, Media Contact, 215-861-8525

PHILADELPHIA - Wayne White, 52, of Miami, Florida, was sentenced today to 108 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute controlled and non-controlled prescription drugs, the distribution of controlled substances, and conspiracy to commit international money laundering, arising from the distribution of prescription drugs without valid prescriptions. Co-defendant Anthony Spence, 46, of Miramar, Florida, was sentenced to 70 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. White and Spence were convicted at trial in October 2012.

White was a pharmacist licensed in the State of Florida and the operator of Superior Drugs, which was located in Miami, Florida. White filled orders for prescription drugs – primarily, the controlled diet drug phentermine – for numerous individuals and entities who operated websites that which sold these drugs over the Internet. Many of White’s online customers were located in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. White began filling orders for Internet pharmacies early as 2002. He was charged with illegally distributing prescription drugs up to May 2010.

During the period charged in the indictment, co-defendant Anthony Spence owned and operated the websites PricebusterRX.com and PricebustersUSA.com, which sold prescription drugs – the majority of which were controlled substances – over the Internet. Most of the customers of the websites operated by Spence were only required to complete an online questionnaire, or answer questions over the telephone; none were examined by the physicians who issued their prescriptions. Spence paid physicians to review the customers’ responses to the online or telephone questionnaires and to issue prescriptions based solely upon the customers’ responses. In some instances, customers sent Spence reports of physical examinations allegedly conducted by other healthcare professionals. The doctors who approved the prescriptions never communicated with the customers or the healthcare professionals who allegedly examined the customers. Spence paid Superior Drugs, which was operated by defendant Wayne White, to fill these invalid prescriptions and to ship them to his customers.

Both defendants were also convicted of conspiracy to introduce misbranded drugs into interstate commerce, which applies to the defendants’ distribution of non-controlled prescription drugs, such as carisoprodol, which is commonly sold under the trade name of Soma and is now a controlled substance, and tramadol, which is commonly sold under the trade name of Ultram. Both of these drugs are addictive and frequently abused.

In May 2007, White was sued by the family of a customer who had an online phentermine order filled by Superior Drugs. The customer died of a phentermine overdose; a bottle of phentermine tablets from Superior Drugs was found in her home. The deceased customer resided in Texas; the doctor who wrote the prescription resided in Puerto Rico.

In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Juan R. Sànchez ordered White to forfeit $10,254,398.49 and pay a fine of $25,000, and ordered Spence to forfeit $4,912,148.10 and pay a fine of $10,000.

Co-defendant Michael Gibson, who pled guilty before trial, was a physician licensed in the State of Georgia who issued invalid prescriptions for prescription drugs for customers whom he neither saw, spoke to, or examined. He began working for Spence in 2008, after the doctor whom Spence had previously hired was investigated, and eventually prosecuted, for writing invalid prescriptions and tax evasion. Gibson began working for co-defendant Carleta Carolina in 2009. The sentencing hearing for Gibson is scheduled for February 8, 2013 before Judge Sànchez.

Co-defendant Carleta Carolina, who is also charged with illegally operating Internet websites to sell controlled and prescription drugs and hiring White to fill and ship her orders, is a fugitive.

The case was investigated by the Diversion and Enforcement Divisions of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations, the Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigations, the United States Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s New York Division. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Frank R. Costello, Jr. and Vineet Gauri.

UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, EASTERN DISTRICTof PENNSYLVANIA
Suite 1250, 615 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
PATTY HARTMAN, Media Contact, 215-861-8525

Wei Qin, 23, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was charged today by Indictment with one count of transportation of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger. The indictment alleges that on or about October 13, 2012, Qin, an alien, and native and citizen of China, transported images of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, and that on or about February 7, 2013, Qin possessed more than 600 images of child pornography.

If convicted the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 30 years.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

The case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations and is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Karen A. Fox.

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UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, EASTERN DISTRICTof PENNSYLVANIA
Suite 1250, 615 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
PATTY HARTMAN, Media Contact, 215-861-8525

PHILADELPHIA – An information was unsealed today charging Bevis Vanterpool, 35, of Philadelphia, with conspiring to distribute oxycodone, a Schedule II narcotic controlled substance, and money laundering, in violation of federal drug and money laundering laws, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger.  Vanterpool is a pharmacist who owned and operated Tracemark Pharmacy at 4839 North Broad Street in Philadelphia.  According to the charges, from May 2010 until December 19, 2011, Vanterpool accepted and filled nearly 5,000 fraudulent prescriptions for at least 447,761 mg. of oxycodone, when he knew that the prescriptions were forged and fraudulent, as they had not been written by physicians.  It is further alleged that from May 2010 until December 19, 2011, Vanterpool laundered proceeds of this illegal activity totaling at least $1,180,000.

If convicted, Vanterpool faces a maximum possible sentence of 40 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release up to a lifetime of supervised release, a fine of up to $1.25 million, and a $200 special assessment, along with forfeiture of money and property totaling $822,428.58 in drug proceeds and $1,180,000 as the proceeds of money laundering.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration Diversion Unit, and the Philadelphia Police Department.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mary E. Crawley.

Click here to view the indictment

An Indictment, Information or Criminal Complaint is an accusation.  A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, EASTERN DISTRICTof PENNSYLVANIA
Suite 1250, 615 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
PATTY HARTMAN, Media Contact, 215-861-8525