Livonia pharmacy owner Zaman Alshafey was sentenced to three years in federal prison by United States District Court Judge Jonathan J.C. Grey following his guilty plea to wire fraud and money laundering, a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Michigan states. He was also ordered to forfeit approximately $9 million as the gross proceeds of his unlawful conduct.
According to the release, Alshafey used his pharmacy license and Medpro Pharmacy in Livonia to order more than $2.5 million dollars of pint-sized bottles of promethazine cough syrup, from various wholesale distributors who operate outside the State of Michigan.
Alshafey then sold the promethazine cough syrup to drug dealers without a valid prescription from a licensed practitioner and he failed to disclose this to the wholesalers. Alshafey paid the wholesalers via wire transfers from funds derived from the unlawful dispensing of the promethazine.
Promethazine is restricted to being dispensed by prescription only per the bottle’s label.
Promethazine cough syrup can have tranquilizing and euphoric effects when consumed at a higher-than-recommended dose, especially when mixed with alcohol or other drugs such as fentanyl. Promethazine cough syrup has been referred to on the illegal street market as “Lean” or “Purple Drink.”
“A pharmacist violates the public’s trust by unlawfully dispensing any drug, including promethazine cough syrup,” said U.S. Attorney Ison. “We will continue to prosecute licensed professionals who wantonly engage in conduct that significantly harms our community.”
“Providing misbranded prescription drugs puts all consumers’ health at risk,” said Special Agent in Charge Ronne Malham, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Chicago Field Office. “We will continue to pursue and bring to justice those who jeopardize the public’s health.”
Assistant United States Attorney Regina R. McCullough prosecuted the case. Assistant United States Attorney Gjon Juncaj, of the Money Laundering & Asset Recovery Unit handled related forfeiture matters and the investigation was conducted by the Food and Drug Administration.