Opioids And Tax Evasion: Feds Arrest Mercer County Couple Who Owned Pharmacy

PRINCETON JUNCTION, NJ — The owners of a Mercer County pharmacy face federal charges including tax evasion, filing false tax returns, and illegally distributing controlled substances, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

Former professor Gordian A. Ndubizu, 67 and his wife, 62-year-old Florence Ndubizu, have been arrested on separate charges, Sellinger said Thursday. The Ndubizus live in Princeton Junction and owned Healthcare Pharmacy in Trenton, he said.

Florence, a former pharmacist, faces one count of conspiracy to unlawfully distribute and dispense and to possess with intent to distribute and to dispense Schedule II controlled substances, (including oxycodone), one count of unlawfully distributing and dispensing a controlled substance; and one count of maintaining a premises for the illegal distribution of a controlled substance.

Court documents show Florence and "employee conspirators" filed false prescriptions "knowing that the drugs would not be used for a legitimate medical purpose, but instead would be illegally diverted, including to street-level drug dealers."

"Ndubizu, operating a single-location pharmacy, purchased and distributed millions of dosage units of oxycodone," Sellinger said. She "diverted oxycodone pills to cash-paying customers, including street-level drug dealers with fraudulent prescriptions, and then evaded state and federal reporting requirements by manipulating the pharmacy’s dispensing records to conceal the missing inventory," he added.

Gordian Ndubizu faces four counts of tax evasion and four counts of filing false tax returns for tax years 2014 through 2017, Sellinger said.

Gordian, who holds a Ph.D., "was a professor of accounting at a university in Pennsylvania" as well as the co-owner of the pharmacy, Sellinger said. Officials say he "prepared fraudulent books and records for Healthcare Pharmacy" and "falsely underreported his income."

Gordian failed to report about $3.3 million in income from the pharmacy, "resulting in the evasion of approximately $1.3 million in tax due and owing," Sellinger said. This means he owes about $1.3 million in back taxes, documents show.

Gordian Ndubizu also transferred money to accounts he controlled in Nigeria instead of using the money to buy goods for the pharmacy, Sellinger said. He did not report these foreign accounts on his tax returns, according to Sellinger.

Each count of tax evasion carries a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a maximum fine of $100,000, according to Sellinger's office. Each count of filing a false tax return carries a maximum potential penalty of three years in prison and a maximum fine of $100,000.