Florida pharmacist convicted in scheme that distributed more than 326,000 oxycodone pills
Miami, Florida – A South Florida pharmacy counter became the center of a massive opioid pipeline, with more than 326,000 high-strength oxycodone pills dispensed during a conspiracy that federal prosecutors said put profits far ahead of patient safety.
The operation was not hidden behind complicated billing records or subtle prescription patterns. Customers arrived with cash, sometimes after traveling long distances, and paid prices roughly 10 times higher than the typical cost of the drug.
A federal jury in the Southern District of Florida convicted licensed pharmacist and pharmacy owner Olushola Yusuf, 60, of Tampa, of conspiracy to illegally distribute drugs and five counts of illegal drug distribution.
According to the Department of Justice, evidence presented at trial showed Yusuf dispensed at least 326,079 oxycodone 30mg pills through two businesses she owned and operated: Boots LLC, doing business as Striderite, in Margate, and Chans Pharmacy Plus Inc. in Pembroke Pines.
Oxycodone 30mg is the highest available strength of the medication. Because of its potency, it is generally prescribed for patients experiencing severe pain, including people with cancer or traumatic injuries.
Prosecutors said Yusuf supplied oxycodone to nearly all her pharmacy customers, including people who had been unable to get their prescriptions filled elsewhere. Some paid as much as $1,300 in cash each month. Others were drug dealers who collected pills supposedly intended for dozens of patients who were not present.
Witnesses testified that the pharmacies’ doors remained locked during normal business hours. Employees were instructed to admit only certain recognized customers. Yusuf continued the operation despite repeated warnings from workers and the Drug Enforcement Administration about the risks and suspicious practices surrounding the pharmacies.
“Olushola Yusuf did not simply ignore red flags. She built her business around them,” U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones said, adding that she served dealers and customers who traveled significant distances while charging unusually high cash prices.
Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald said the conviction showed that illegal opioid distribution would be prosecuted whether it happened “on a street corner or from behind a pharmacy counter.”
Yusuf’s co-defendant, Saman Gimenez, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to illegally distribute drugs and is expected to be sentenced in October.
Yusuf is scheduled for sentencing on October 14. She faces a maximum sentence of 20 years on each count, although the final punishment will be determined by a federal judge after reviewing sentencing guidelines and other legal factors.
The DEA, FBI and Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General investigated the case.
