Jury Convicts Pain Clinic Doctor of Unlawful Drug Distribution, Money Laundering, and Filing a False Tax Return
TAMPA, Fla. – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announced that a federal jury found Dr. Qing McGaha guilty of 14 counts of unlawful drug distribution, four (4) counts of money laundering, and one (1) count of filing a false tax return. McGaha faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for each count of unlawful drug distribution, up to ten (10) years for each money laundering count, and three (3) years imprisonment for filing a false tax return. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 15, 2023. McGaha had been indicted on January 2, 2023.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, McGaha was a Florida-licensed medical doctor who owned and operated MD Care Clinic, a pain management clinic in Hillsborough County. Over a 20-month period, undercover agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) conducted numerous appointments with McGaha. At each appointment, they received hydrocodone, hydromorphone, or oxycodone, Schedule II controlled substances not for a legitimate medical purpose in the usual course of professional practice. Between January 2016 and January 2021, McGaha distributed more than 2.1 million opioid pills.
In addition, McGaha engaged in multiple monetary transactions over $10,000 in funds criminally derived from the operation of her clinic. She used these funds to purchase a piece of real property in Clearwater and deposited them into her bank account. In 2021, McGaha filed false and fraudulent tax forms for tax year 2020 that underreported MD Care’s gross revenue by nearly $300,000.
This case was investigated by the DEA Tampa District Office, the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, the Lakeland Police Department, the Tampa Police Department, the Largo Police Department, and the United States Attorney’s Office Opioid Fraud Abuse and Detection Unit, which focuses on opioid-related fraud and abuse by medical and health care professionals who have contributed to the prescription opioid epidemic. This case was also part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force. It is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.
If you are aware of controlled substance violations in your community, please submit your anonymous tip through the DEA online Tip Line at Submit a Tip | DEA.gov. Concerns about prescription drug abuse or diversion can be reported to the DEA through this link: RX Abuse Online Reporting (usdoj.gov).
The DEA encourages parents, teachers, care givers, guardians, and children to educate themselves about the dangers of drugs by visiting DEA’s interactive websites at www.JustThinkTwice.com , www.GetSmartAboutDrugs.com, www.CampusDrugPrevention.gov, and www.dea.gov.
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