Long Island Doctor Ran New York's Largest Pill Mill: Prosecutors

A doctor from Long Island who ran a facility in Queens was arrested Thursday for running a pill mill that made him millions as he prescribed millions of doses of addictive painkillers to patients, authorities say.

Dante A. Cubangbang, 50, operated a medical clinic in Queens with John F. Gargan, Michael Kellerman and Loren Piquant. Prosecutors say that Cubangbang and Gargan, who was a nurse practitioner, together prescribed more than 6 million oxycodone pills to people they knew didn't need them. Their alleged scheme went on for years, from January 2012 to September 2018.

"These doctors and other health professionals should have been the first line of defense against opioid abuse, but as alleged in today’s charges, instead of caring for their patients, they were drug dealers in white coats," said US Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman. "They hid behind their medical licenses to sell addictive, dangerous narcotics. This Office will do everything in its power to bring to justice anyone responsible for fueling the opioid epidemic that has taken so many lives."

Prosecutors say that Cubangbang prescribed more than twice as many oxycodone pills than the second-highest prescriber in the state. Cubangbang and Gargan would give the pills to people after no more than a few minutes of an examination, prosecutors say.

Cubangbang's clinic collected more than $5 million from all-cash office visits, which were $300 each, prosecutors say. They then laundered the money and divided it up among themselves, prosecutors allege.

Cubangbang and his workers were arrested as part of a large investigation into prescription pill abuses in the state. Four other doctors and a pharmacist were arrested as well.

“From drug cartels to street distributors, law enforcement is targeting all levels of drug traffickers amidst the worst drug crisis in American history," said FBI Special Agent-in-Charge James Hunt. "The worst villains in the fight against drug abuse are doctors whose criminal actions fuel addiction and overdoses."

Cubangbang, Gargan, Kellerman and Piquant were all charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. In addition, Cubangbang, Gargan and Kellerman were charged with conspiracy to commit health care fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

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