The diet pill mill operation ended with four people being indicted on no more than 227 felony charges. The investigation lasted for 18 months.
The company behind the act is Diet Med Clinics, which sold almost one million doses of Phentermine to clients in Mentor, Mayfield Heights, and Fairview Park.
The Diet Pill Mill from Greater Cleveland
Phentermine is an appetite suppressant that is used to treat obesity. It works by interacting with the central nervous system. The medicine should not be used by women who are pregnant or that are breastfeeding, by people with heart disease issues, blood pressure problems, thyroid issues, or a history of alcohol or drug abuse.
The diet pill can also lead to habit forming, and it should be kept away from any person that had to handle any type of drug addiction.
However, the customers of the Diet Med Clinics bought the amphetamine pills without prescription or supervision. The first raids on the clinics took place on the 25th of March 2015, when the clinics had been shut down.
The Illegal Drug Deal
The investigation was conducted by the Ohio Pharmacy Board, the Nursing Board, the Bureau of Criminal Investigation, local police departments, the Lake County Narcotics Agency, and the County Prosecutor’s Office from Lake County and Cuyahoga.
Four partners of the clinic had been accused of corrupt activity, money laundering, and drug trafficking. In case they are convicted, they face life in prison.
The owner of the clinics is Janet Paulino, who ran the business with the help of her daughter.
Doctor Trocio, which is 75 years old, bought large quantities of drugs by using its physician credentials. Later on, the amphetamines were distributed directly through the clinics, and the clients had no contact with the doctor that initially ordered the drugs.
The police used undercover investigators, including women who were visibly pregnant, to explore the details of the business. It appears that the pills had been offered without any medical screenings, and no doctor-patient relationship was established in the process.
The diet pill mill allowed customers to avoid pharmacies and to obtain medicine for long-term use that might have raised some questions.
The improper use of the amphetamine diet pill can lead to kidney failure, heart attack, seizures, and death. Moreover, the long-term use can create addiction.
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