DETROIT (WXYZ) — FBI Detroit confirms that they raided the Westin Book Cadillac hotel on Wednesday in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General.
The raid, according to the FBI, was part of a prescription drug scheme investigation.
According to the United States Attorney’s Office, an indictment unsealed today charges two patient recruiters and the owners and operators of a pharmacy with conspiracy to illegally distribute prescription drugs, and other opioid-related charges.
Those charged are:
Dangelo Terrell Stephens, 38, of Detroit; Latasha Maria Neely, 38, of Detroit; Hassan Samir Saad, 33, of Dearborn; and Ali Hussein Keblawi, 26, of Dearborn.
It is alleged in the indictment that from June 2020 through July 2021, Stephens and Neely would bring “patients” or their information to local doctors and clinics, who would then write prescriptions in the patient names “without medical necessity and outside the scope of professional medical practice, in exchange for cash payments.” The indictment alleges Stephens and Neely got the prescriptions filled with the help of area pharmacies and Saad and Keblawi, and then sold them on the street.
The indictment alleges that Stephens and Neely unlawfully distributed more than 28,000 dosage units of opioid prescriptions valued at more than $775,000 during that time period.
“The road to addiction often begins with prescription drugs, “said Acting US Attorney Mohsin in a press release. “It is for this reason we are focusing our efforts on removing individuals who contribute to the devastating opioid crisis in this country.”
USA v. Dangelo Stephens Et Al by WXYZ-TV Channel 7 Detroit on Scribd
