Related Content
Press Release
Agrees to forfeit $450,000 from illegal sale of prescription drugs
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – An internet prescription drug company has pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court this week to charges of dispensing prescription drugs without a valid prescription and has agreed to forfeit $450,000 from the illegal sale of the prescription drugs, announced United States Attorney John E. Kuhn, Jr.
According to the plea agreement, Aracoma Drug Company operated a traditional and internet pharmacy located in West Virginia, which provided customers in Kentucky and other states with prescription drugs.
During the period between June 2009, through April 2012, Aracoma electronically received invalid prescriptions from NationalRXRPartners for prescription drugs to be dispensed from prescriptions that were issued from questionnaires completed over the internet. These prescriptions were not issued following the examination of patients by a qualified medical provider, as defined in each respective state.
Aracoma accepted these invalid prescriptions, filled these prescriptions, and then dispensed and shipped these prescription drugs to customers in Kentucky and other states throughout the United States and received payment in return.
At the time, Aracoma was aware that a valid prescription was needed prior to dispensing “prescription only” drugs to customers in Kentucky, West Virginia, and other states.
According to the plea agreement, Aracoma has agreed to pay $100,000 on the date of sentencing, and thereafter, make five payments of $70,000, for the next five years.
This case is scheduled for sentencing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dave Whalin on November 20, 2015, at 1:30pm in Louisville.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lettricea Jefferson-Webb and is being investigated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations; the Kentucky State Police; and the West Virginia State Police.