HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla.- A Hillsborough County, Florida, doctor was sentenced to seven years and eight months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Charlene E. Honeywell for the offenses of money laundering, submitting a fraudulent tax return, and distributing illegal drugs.
McGaha was also ordered by the court to surrender an office condominium that can be linked to the proceeds of the offense, pay $119,462.34 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service, and pay $100,000 in criminal fines.
McGaha also forfeited $170,512.34 and $774,216.12 in cash that were taken from her two bank accounts and her home, respectively, as part of her punishment.
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These funds were obtained through her illegal activities. On June 16, 2023, a federal jury found McGaha guilty.
Court records state that McGaha was a certified physician in Florida who owned and managed Hillsborough County’s MD Care Clinic, a pain management facility.
Drug Enforcement Administration undercover officers met with McGaha for over 20 months.
During every visit, they were given Schedule II controlled substances—hydrocodone, hydromorphone, or oxycodone—that were not prescribed for a valid medical reason or in accordance with standard professional practice. McGaha delivered over 2.1 million opioid tablets between January 2016 and January 2021.
Furthermore, McGaha participated in several financial transactions involving over $10,000 in proceeds obtained illegally through the running of her business. She transferred the money into her bank account and used it to buy a piece of real estate in Clearwater. For the tax year 2020, McGaha submitted fake and fraudulent tax returns in 2021, underreporting MD Care’s gross revenue by almost $300,000.
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According to DEA Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter, “medical professionals who put personal profit over the safety and health of their patients by prescribing controlled substances without legitimate medical need” are in violation of the Controlled Substances Act and their oath to “do no harm.” “This sentence demonstrates the DEA Miami Field Division’s dedication to collaborating with law enforcement to target medical practitioners who betray the public and endanger our communities.”
“Dr. McGaha greedily ignored her oath to put her patients first – she thought she could get away with using her pill mill to doctor scripts that put harmful drugs on the streets,” said Brian Payne, special agent in charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation, Tampa Field Office. “To make matters worse, she then tried to evade her tax obligations by failing to report the fruits of her crimes to the IRS. The fall of another tax evading pill mill is a victory for all law enforcement involved.”
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