ALEXANDRIA, VA—Nibedita Mohanty, M.D., 56, of Stafford, Virginia, pleaded guilty today to charges of distribution and dispensation of controlled substances and aiding and abetting health care fraud.

Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Adam S. Lee, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office; Andrew G. McCabe, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office; and Charles E. Jett, Stafford County Sheriff, made the announcement after the plea was accepted by U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady.

Dr. Mohanty was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 24, 2014. Dr. Mohanty faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison when sentenced on June 5, 2015. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

In a statement of facts filed with the plea agreement, Dr. Mohanty admitted to issuing prescriptions for oxycodone which were not for a legitimate medical purpose and beyond the bounds of medical practice. In one such instance, on May 2, 2011, Dr. Mohanty issued a prescription for oxycodone to patient who experienced a nonfatal narcotics overdose. Dr. Mohanty subsequently treated the patient at the hospital. On May 31, 2011, Dr. Mohanty issued another oxycodone prescription to same patient. The next day, the patient was found deceased in the bathroom of a friend’s home. The cause of death was determined to be accidental acute combined oxycodone and imipramine toxicity.

In another instance, on October 3, 2011, Dr. Mohanty issued a prescription for oxycodone to a patient. Nine days later the patient was found unresponsive in her home. Hospital records and testimony would have shown that the nonfatal overdose was oxycodone related.

In addition, Dr. Mohanty admitted that she aided and abetted a patient in the commission of health care fraud. Dr. Mohanty acknowledged that she did not possess a “X” DEA number, nor was she authorized for office-based narcotic buprenorphine treatment. Despite this Dr. Mohanty prescribed Subutex, which contains buprenorphine, to a patient who she was treating for drug addiction and dependence, which was billed to and paid for by the patient’s health insurance. From June 2009 through February 12, 2013, Dr. Mohanty was Chief of Medicine at Stafford Hospital. Dr. Mohanty received her medical degree from the Medical College of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia and completed her residency at Brown University School of Medicine in Providence, Rhode Island.

The case was investigated by the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office, and the FBI’s Richmond and Washington Field Offices. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gene Rossi and Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Ballantyne and Nicole Grosnoff are prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:14-cr-256.