New Rochelle Physician Pleads Guilty To Selling Thousands Of Oxycodone Pills For Cash

Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; Frank A. Tarentino III, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Division of the Drug Enforcement Agency ("DEA"); and Naomi Gruchacz, the Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (“HHS-OIG”), announced that MORDECHAI BAR pled guilty today to one count of illicitly distributing and dispensing oxycodone and other controlled substances.  BAR pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Cathy Seibel, to whom his case is assigned.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Dr. Mordechai Bar hid behind his medical license while he prescribed oxycodone without a legitimate medical need.  Like any drug dealer, he pumped highly addictive substances into the streets for profit, with no regard for the impact on the community.  Along with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to aggresively prosecute physicians who help fuel the opioid crisis.”

DEA Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III said: “This guilty plea from Doctor Mordechai Bar is the result of the hard work of our DEA New York’s Westchester Office and our law enforcement partners in pursuing those individuals who put profit and greed over the health and safety of their patients.  The DEA remains committed in pursuing those individuals who exacerbate the ongoing opioid crisis.”

HHS-OIG Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz said: “This physician accepts responsibility for illegally prescribing controlled substances, an action that is especially egregious given the ongoing opioid epidemic. HHS-OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure individuals involved in fraud schemes that exploit federal health care programs and threaten patient safety are held accountable.”

According to documents filed in this case including the Complaint, the Information, BAR’s plea agreement, and statements made in Court:

Between in or about January 2023 and in or about June 2024, BAR, a physician, repeatedly prescribed oxycodone without a legitimate medical purpose and outside of the usual course of professional practice.  Oxycodone, a Schedule II narcotic, is a highly addictive opioid that is used to treat severe and chronic pain, as well as pain associated with certain forms of cancer and other terminal illnesses.  Oxycodone prescriptions command high prices in the black market because of demand by drug abusers.  BAR often prescribed oxycodone in combination with amphetamines and/or alprazolam, controlled substances that are themselves frequently abused and resold illicitly.  BAR sold these prescriptions for cash, and he did so without performing physical examinations or medical tests on the patients in whose names the prescriptions were issued. 

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BAR, 71, of Larchmont, New York, pled guilty to one count of distributing oxycodone and other controlled substances, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.  The statutory maximum sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing will be determined by a judge.  BAR is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Seibel on February 18, 2025.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding efforts of the DEA New York’s Westchester Office, HHS-OIG, the FBI, IRS-CI, and the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force.  Mr. Williams also thanked the New York State Department of Health Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement for their assistance in this case.

The case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jorja N. Knauer, David A. Markewitz, and Kathryn Wheelock are in charge of the prosecution.