Robert Courtney (fraudster)
Robert Ray Courtney (born 1952 in Hays, Kansas) is a former pharmacist who owned and operated the Research Medical Tower Pharmacy in Kansas City, Missouri.[1] In 2002 he was convicted of pharmaceutical fraud and sentenced to federal prison.[1]
Criminal history
In 1990 Courtney began the illegal practice of purchasing pharmaceuticals on the gray market and using them to fill prescriptions at his pharmacy. This led to further illegal activities such as diluting prescriptions to increase profits.[1]
In 1998, an Eli Lilly sales representative noticed a discrepancy between the amount of the cancer drug Gemzar Courtney bought and the amount he sold. Lilly initiated an internal investigation but found no evidence of foul play and the investigation was closed.[1]
In 2001 the Eli Lilly sales representative mentioned the matter to a nurse who worked for an oncologist in Courtney's building who was also one of Courtney's customers. The oncologist had medication supplied by Courtney tested. When the results showed the prescriptions were diluted, the oncologist notified authorities.[2]
According to law enforcement estimates, from 1990 to 2001, Courtney diluted 98,000 prescriptions which were given to 4,200 patients. Courtney is reported to have diluted 72 different kinds of drugs.[2]
In August 2001, two months before his arrest, Courtney held total assets worth $18.7 million.[2]
Courts cases and law suits
In 2002, Courtney pled guilty to 20 federal counts of tampering and adulterating the chemotherapy drugs Taxol and Gemzar. He also acknowledged that he and his corporation, Courtney Pharmacy Inc., had weakened drugs, conspired to traffic in stolen drugs and caused the filing of false Medicare claims.[3] He was sentenced to 30 years in Federal Prison.[2]
Courtney also had to defend himself against approximately 300 lawsuits for fraud and wrongful death.[3]
Personal life
Courtney was born in Hays, Kansas. His father was a traveling minister in Scott City, Kansas.[2][4]
In 1992 he divorced his first wife and retained custody of their two daughters.[2] His second marriage lasted four or five days and was later annulled.[2] In 1994 his third wife gave birth to twins.[2]
References
- ^ a b c d > NY Times, The Toxic Pharmacist, June 8 2003 p1 [1] Cite error: The named reference "toxic" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
- ^ a b c d e f g h NY Times, The Toxic Pharmacist, June 8 2003 p1 Cite error: The named reference "nytimes.com" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
- ^ a b Thousands of Diluted Drugs, April 19 2002
- ^ Robert R. Courtney Tribune News Service, September 25 2001