Annandale doctor pleads guilty to distributing controlled substances

An Annandale-based physician pled guilty in federal court for conspiring to distribute oxycodone and “purple drank,” the U.S. Department of Justice announced Oct. 9.

Dr. Rotimi Iluyomade, 68, of Alexandria, conspired with eight others to distribute more than 7,000 oxycodone pills, 34,000 milliliters of hydrocodone-chlorpheniramine solution, and 107,000 milliliters of promethazine-codeine solution to individuals in multiple states, a DOJ press release states.

The Justice Department says Iluyomade and his co-conspirators maintained the Crossover Medical Center at 6922 Little River Turnpike “for the purpose of unlawfully distributing controlled substances.”

He waived his right to be indicted and pled guilty to conspiring with others to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute oxycodone, to obtain drugs by fraud, to maintain a place for the purpose of distributing a controlled substance, and money laundering.

The conspiracy began in 2022 when, after an almost 30-year career as an emergency medicine physician, Iluyomade leased office space at the Crossover Medical Center and opened a pain management and weight loss clinic.

Shortly after opening the clinic, an individual showed up requesting a specific medication – a promethazine-codeine solution (also known as “lean” or “purple drank”) – for what they claimed was a chronic cough. Iluyomade examined the individual and prescribed the drug.

The individual returned to the clinic several times and told Iluyomade that they were selling the drug to others for profit.  Promethazine-codeine is a prescription-grade cough syrup containing an opioid drug. When mixed with a soft drink or alcohol, it produces euphoria but can be addictive and can lead to respiratory arrest or cardiac arrest.

Beginning in 2023, multiple individuals visited Iluyomade’s clinic to obtain fraudulent prescriptions for promethazine-codeine solution, as well as fraudulent prescriptions for oxycodone pills and hydrocodone-chlorpheniramine solution, also known as “Tussionex.” 

On many occasions, the individuals provided Iluyomade with lists of multiple “patients” with fake identifying information or different variations of names and false addresses, and requested prescriptions be sent to pharmacies throughout the United States for the “patients” on the lists. 

Iluyomade issued the requested prescriptions without examining the “patients.” He often co-prescribed non-controlled medications such as steroids and antibiotics to attempt to make the prescriptions for controlled substances look legitimate.

He was paid $300 for each fraudulent prescription. “He wrote the prescriptions knowing they had no legitimate medical purpose and solely for his own monetary gain,” the DOJ states.

“Every doctor takes an oath to treat their patient and to do no harm, but when a doctor falls short of that oath, they must be held accountable,” U.S. Attorney Christopher Kavanaugh said. “In this case, a doctor put many in harm’s way.”

“Healthcare providers have a vital responsibility when it comes to dispensing medications to meet the health needs of their patients,” said Jarod Forget, a special agent at the Drug Enforcement Administration. Instead, Iluyomade’s “reckless and fraudulent practices placed profits over the fragile lives of others.”