U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg | U.S. Department of Justice
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announced the indictment of Tampa residents Bridget Luzod and Victor Silva, MD. The charges include one count of conspiring to distribute controlled substances, one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises, 19 counts of unlawful distribution of controlled substances, and 19 counts related to using another person's registration number for distribution. If found guilty on all charges, both Luzod and Silva could face up to 20 years in federal prison. The indictment also indicates that the United States plans to seize any assets linked to the proceeds from these offenses.
The indictment outlines that Luzod was the owner and main operator of Thrive Medical Clinic, an alternative medicine facility she opened in South Tampa in September 2018. Despite presenting herself as a medical professional to her patients, Luzod only held a Florida basic x-ray machine operator license which expired in 2018 and was not renewed until March 2024. She lacked both a medical practice license in Florida and a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) registration number for prescribing controlled substances.
In March 2020, Luzod employed Dr. Silva as Thrive's medical director. However, Silva did not perform patient examinations or reviews at Thrive; instead, he received monthly payments from Luzod in exchange for allowing her access to his credentials and DEA registration number for treating patients with controlled substances such as Adderall, testosterone, hydrocodone, and phentermine between 2020 and 2024. Luzod often forged or stamped Silva's signature on prescriptions.
It is important to note that an indictment is simply a formal accusation of legal violations; defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
The case investigation involved multiple agencies: the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Florida Department of Health, the Tampa Police Department, and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Michael M. Gordon will prosecute the case.
