A 78-year-old neurologist was arrested in Taylor, Michigan, as police foiled a large-scale prescription drug scam on Tuesday morning. The doctor, whose identity has yet to be fully disclosed, expressed shock during his arrest, claiming, “I didn’t do anything wrong.”
The neurologist is accused of prescribing powerful painkillers like hydrocodone and ketamine to thousands of patients who didn’t need them. Detective Phil Wengrowski, who has been investigating the case for four years, likened the arrest to “taking a drug dealer off the streets.”
Wengrowski revealed that the investigation began when authorities received a tip about the doctor’s suspicious prescribing habits. A pharmacy near the Michigan-Ohio border had cut him off due to the excessive volume of controlled substances being filled at his clinic. Patients reportedly traveled from all over the Midwest to obtain painkillers from the neurologist’s office.
In addition to illegal prescriptions, investigators uncovered evidence that the doctor had been falsifying medical records and billing for exams and tests that were never performed. The scam involved not only fraudulent medical records but also illegal billing practices targeting insurance companies.
The Taylor Police Department, the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), and state and federal investigators joined forces to conduct raids at two of the doctor’s locations—his packed clinic on Telegraph Road and his sprawling 20,000-square-foot mansion in West Bloomfield. A woman found inside the mansion surrendered to police.
During the raid, police shut down the clinic, leaving the staff jobless and patients without their doctor. Taylor Police Chief John Blair said that painkillers prescribed by the neurologist were likely contributing to the overdose epidemic. “We’ve had over 50 overdose deaths this year alone,” Blair added.
Police also made an unusual discovery inside the clinic—a fully furnished bedroom. “I find it odd for a clinic,” Blair remarked, hinting at further investigations into how deep the scam may run and whether other clinics or doctors could be involved.