Manhattan U.S. Attorney Charges Doctor and Associate with Illegally Distributing Oxycodone
| U.S. Attorney’s Office August 11, 2011 |
PREET BHARARA, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; JANICE K. FEDARCYK, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”); and RAYMOND W. KELLY, the Police Commissioner of the City of New York (“NYPD”), announced the arrests today of Dr. EUGENE DEMCZUK, a Brooklyn and New Jersey medical physician; and his associate, NICHOLAS CUKIER, for conspiring to distribute oxycodone, a prescription painkiller, for cash, without a legitimate medical purpose. DEMCZUK and CUKIER will be presented later today in Manhattan federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge KEVIN NATHANIEL FOX.
According to the complaint unsealed today in Manhattan federal court:
On numerous occasions from November 2010 to April 2011, DEMCZUK and CUKIER sold 30 mg prescriptions of oxycodone pills to an undercover FBI officer for $150 a prescription. Before providing the prescription, DEMCZUK did not perform a medical examination nor did he request additional medical information from the undercover officer. DEMCZUK also provided the undercover officer with prescriptions for other individuals.
Oxycodone is a powerful painkiller with a high potential for addiction and abuse. It is sold on the street as a substitute for heroin and other illegal drugs.
DEMCZUK, 66, of Livingston, New Jersey, and CUKIER, 24, of Edison, New Jersey, are each charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute oxycodone and one count of distributing oxycodone.
Mr. BHARARA praised the investigative work of the FBI and the NYPD, and thanked the New York State Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement for their assistance in the investigation. He added that the investigation is continuing.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys RYAN P. POSCABLO and JESSICA ORTIZ are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.