Retail pharmacy chain CVS has agreed to pay $70,000 amid allegations it violated the Controlled Substances Act by filling fake prescriptions at some of its New Hampshire locations, according to a Friday press release from the U.S. District Attorney’s Office.
A pair of CVS pharmacists allegedly filled 41 falsified prescriptions of Adderall, Ritalin and Xanax at multiple CVS locations in the state, resulting in two criminal investigations into the accused individuals, according to the New Hampshire U.S. Attorney’s Office. Theodoros Bahtsevanos and Jane Mastrogiovanni were identified as the pharmacists allegedly involved.
CVS To Pay $70,000 To Resolve Allegations That It Filled Fake Prescriptionshttps://t.co/dY19AUfvx5
— U.S. Attorney NH (@USAO_NH) June 23, 2023
In the resulting criminal proceedings, Bahtsevanos pleaded guilty to two counts of misuse of a DEA registration number and one count of possession of five or more false identification documents, according to the press release. He was sentenced to three years of probation in April 2020.
Mastrogiovanni pleaded guilty in July 2020 to 10 counts of obtaining controlled substances by fraud, forgery, deception or subterfuge and was also sentenced to three years’ probation in February 2021, according to the press release. (RELATED: Biden Admin Set To Sue Pharmacy Chain Rite Aid, Accuses Company Of ‘Knowingly’ Fueling Opioid Crisis)
“Pharmacies have a legal responsibility to ensure that controlled substances are dispensed only pursuant to valid prescriptions,” U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young said. “When pharmacies ignore red flags that a prescription is fraudulent, they miss a critical opportunity to prevent prescription drugs from being misused or diverted for unlawful uses or into the black market. We will use the Controlled Substances Act along with all other available tools to protect the residents of New Hampshire. I am grateful to the DEA’s diversion investigators for their investigative work in this case.”