Ndubuisi Joseph Okafor, a 65-year-old physician from Upper Marlboro, Maryland, was found guilty by a federal jury in U.S. District Court for illegally distributing prescriptions for narcotics in exchange for cash at his medical clinic in Northwest Washington D.C.
The verdict was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, FBI Special Agent Sean Ryan of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, HHS-OIG Special Agent Maureen R. Dixon, Daniel W. Lucas from the District of Columbia's Inspector General office, and DEA Special Agent Ibrar A. Mian.
Okafor was convicted on charges including conspiracy to distribute controlled substances outside the practice of medicine and maintaining a drug-involved premises. He also faced 22 counts related to unlawful distribution of oxycodone and promethazine with codeine. Sentencing is scheduled for June 20, 2025.
Evidence presented during the trial showed that between May 2021 and April 2023, Okafor operated Okafor Medical Associates as its sole practitioner in Washington D.C., where he distributed controlled substances unlawfully. The investigation began after law enforcement agencies nationwide reported connections between Okafor's prescriptions and local drug trafficking networks.
Between February and November 2022, undercover agents received opioid prescriptions from Okafor following minimal examinations at his clinic. It was revealed that he prescribed opioids using false identities across at least 45 states as part of a nationwide scheme.
His conduct led to hundreds of thousands of units being prescribed nationwide. Additionally, after being notified about a complaint filed against him by J.V.’s family member to the D.C. Board of Health, Okafor created backdated medical records for J.V.
In September 2023, his DEA registration number was suspended due to public health concerns stemming from his actions.
The investigation involved multiple agencies including the FBI’s Washington Field Office and several state police departments among others who contributed significantly during both investigation and trial phases.
Assistant United States Attorney Meredith Mayer-Dempsey along with Trial Attorney Kathryn Furtado prosecuted the case supported by paralegals Rebecca Walton, Dillon Clark, Matthew McClarnon and Michael Goodrich from the Justice Department’s Fraud Section.
