SAN FRANCISCO – United States Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) San Francisco Division Special Agent in Charge Bob Beris, DEA New York Division Special Agent in Charge Frank Tarentino, along with our law enforcement partners Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) , U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector...

SAN FRANCISCO – On October 25, 2025, DEA joined 4,263 law enforcement agencies across the country who came together for the 29th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. At 4,317 collection sites nationwide, Take Back events removed 571,054 pounds of unneeded and expired medications from home medicine cabinets to prevent...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Philip Yen, M.D. has agreed to pay the United States $125,000 to resolve allegations that he failed to comply with federal statutory requirements related to his role as the Drug Enforcement Administration registrant at Sutter Imaging Capitol Pavilion, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith and Drug Enforcement Administration...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The United States has filed a civil complaint against nurse practitioner Joan Rubinger, registered in Stockton, that alleges a long-running nationwide scheme to sell illegal opioid prescriptions for cash, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith and Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Bob P. Beris announced. The...

SAN DIEGO – OptumRx Inc., a prescription drug benefit provider, has agreed to pay $20 million to resolve allegations that it improperly filled certain opioid prescriptions in violation of the Controlled Substances Act. The settlement resolves an investigation initiated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) into whether, between April 2013...

SAN DIEGO – Palomar Health, a California public health care district located in San Diego County, has paid $250,000 to resolve allegations of diversion of fentanyl from one of its facilities and failure to keep accurate records for fentanyl. Palomar Health is California’s largest health care district, with campuses in...

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced the arrest of and filing of charges against Dr. Arash Padidar, a Santa Clara County doctor accused of illegally prescribing opioids to patients. The arrest and charges are the result of an investigation into an alleged two-years-long illegal prescription...

FRESNO, Calif. — Sawtantra Chopra, 76, of Modesto, pleaded guilty Wednesday to three counts of illegally prescribing opioids and other medication, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert and Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Brian M. Clark announced. According to court documents, Chopra admitted prescribing drugs — including hydrocodone, alprazolam...

SAN DIEGO - Dr. David J. Smith, a pain management physician, and his office manager, Julia Ann Oertle, are charged in a federal grand-jury indictment with perpetuating a long-running scheme to commit healthcare fraud and to manufacture and distribute adulterated fentanyl. Smith made his initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate...

FRESNO, Calif. — On Oct. 20, 2022, a federal grand jury charged Sohail Mamdani, 46, of Los Banos, with mail fraud and money laundering in connection to a disability insurance fraud scheme, and unlawful use of a DEA registration number and fraudulently obtaining possession of a controlled substance, U.S. Attorney...