New York radiologist pleads guilty to controlled substance scheme

Radiologist Albert R. Cowie, MD, of Amherst, N.Y., has pleaded guilty to obtaining controlled substances by fraud and healthcare fraud.

Cowie, 37, faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Sentencing is scheduled for May 6.

According to the DEA, Cowie wrote more than 200 illegal prescriptions for substances such as Percocet between January 2010 and March 2014. Cowie would write the prescription to an individual, then that individual would get the prescription filled, keep some of the substance, and bring the rest back to Cowie.

Cowie fraudulently billed more than $20,000 to Universal Health Care and HealthNow New York as a part of the scheme.

The DEA’s evidence against Cowie included a confidential witness who was quoted saying, “Okay so just say they were written for me even though they were written for you ... is what you’re saying?” Cowie confirmed to the witness that was what he was saying.

DEA Special Agent in Charge James J. Hunt, DEA special agent in charge, said in a prepared statement that abusing prescription drugs often serves as a gateway to more drug use.

“Three out of four people who use heroin previously abused prescription drugs,” Hunt said. “It is imperative to regulate the distribution of prescription medication; and this plea represents law enforcement’s commitment to keeping diverted prescription medication off the streets.”

Cowie was first arrested on charges of unlawful distribution of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance by fraud, and conspiracy to commit a drug felony back in April 2015.

“Not only was Dr. Cowie abusing his power to write prescriptions for pain medication, he was abusing the prescription pills himself,” Hunt said at the time in another statement. “As a health care professional, Dr. Cowie should have known better, but this case proves that opiate addiction is a threat to everyone, to all socio and economic strata.”