PHILADELPHIA—A superseding indictment was filed today against Dr. Jeffrey Bado, 59, of Philadelphia, PA, charging him with distribution of a controlled substance resulting in death and 82 additional counts of distribution of controlled substances. Bado, a doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, was first indicted on February 4, 2015 for the alleged illegal distribution of pain medications from his Philadelphia and Bryn Mawr medical offices. The superseding indictment also contains the original two counts of maintaining a drug-involved premises, 200 counts of illegally distributing oxycodone, a Schedule II controlled substance, outside the usual course of professional practice and for no legitimate medical purpose, 33 counts of health care fraud, and four counts of making false statements to federal agents.

According to the superseding indictment, on January 24, 2011, Bado knowingly and intentionally distributed pills containing oxycodone to J.A.-1, and the death of J.A.-1 resulted from the use of those substances. The indictment alleges that Bado had been writing prescriptions for J.A.-1 despite the fact that, when tested at Bado’s office, the victim tested positive for illegal street drugs. Bado allegedly gave prescriptions for large numbers of oxycodone pills to “patients” who paid in cash for an “office visit” during which the “patient” would receive, at most, a cursory physical examination and little other medical care or treatment. The superseding indictment alleges that Bado’s prescribing mirrored the needs of drug addicts and drug traffickers. Bado would allegedly comply with patient requests for pills with specific concentrations of oxycodone, and Bado would allegedly switch patients to pills with a higher street value even though there was no medical justification for the switch. Bado allegedly continued to prescribe high amounts of oxycodone even when he knew that his patients were addicted to oxycodone, were using illegal drugs, or were not even taking the oxycodone pills as prescribed.

If convicted of all charges, Bado faces an estimated sentencing guideline range of at least 24 years in prison with a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison up to life in prison, a special assessment of $32,200, substantial fines, criminal forfeiture, and supervised release.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General, the Haverford Township Police Department and the Philadelphia Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nancy Beam Winter and Andrew J. Schell.

An Indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.