A Florida man was sentenced yesterday to 180 months in federal prison for writing illegal prescriptions for pain killers and for laundering the proceeds of his crimes, U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider announced.
Schneider was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Timothy Plancon, Drug Enforcement Administration and Special Agent in Charge Manny Muriel, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations.
Sentenced was Boris Zigmond, 52. The sentencing took place before U.S. District Judge George Caram Steeh in Detroit. Judge Steeh revoked Zigmond’s bond and ordered him into custody.
According to court records, Boris Zigmond operated a clinic which was a front for a scheme to distribute medically unnecessary prescriptions for the most powerful painful killers. Zigmond admitted that he received $500 from people seeking to obtain medically unnecessary prescriptions between 2013 and 2015. He further admitted that he attempted to conceal more than $375,000 in cash from law enforcement.
As part of his sentence, Zigmond was ordered to forfeit $2,221,000 in cash seized during the investigation.
Eight other individuals, including two physicians, Jennifer Franklin and Carlos Godoy, have already been sentenced for prescribing the unnecessary prescription in exchange for $100 per patient. A ninth individual, Rodney Knight, is awaiting sentencing following his guilty plea for participating in the drug conspiracy and for illegally possessing an AK-47 after having previously been convicted of a felony.
DEA Special Agent in Charge Plancon stated, “The DEA has worked cooperatively with other law enforcement agencies to successfully target Boris Zigmond. We have sent a clear message that we have “zero tolerance" for drug dealers and the devastation that they bring to our community. This is yet another example of our resolve to dismantle criminal organizations, especially those who are contributing to the opioid abuse epidemic."
IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Manny Muriel said, “A physician takes a Hippocratic Oath to uphold ethical standards to help the sick. Boris Zigmond let greed take priority over that oath and in doing so, contributed to the opioid epidemic in Michigan. Let this sentence be a reminder to all doctors that IRS-CI and its partners will continue to work to identify those who look to gain financial reward from medically unnecessary prescriptions."
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Wayne F. Pratt and Philip A. Ross.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
