Doctor Accused of Diverting Drugs from Kids Involved in FBI Investigation
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
More than 320 individuals, including 25 doctors, have been federally charged in connection with nearly $15 billion in alleged false claims, in what the Justice Department marked as the largest coordinated health care fraud takedown in U.S. history, Newsweek previously reported.
Among the accused, a Washington state doctor who reportedly diverted prescription drugs originally intended for children, a press release from the Western District of Washington said.
Anesthesiology resident Andrew Voegel-Podadera, 35, of Seattle, Washington, faces a criminal case after being accused of obtaining controlled substances by fraud in connection with a scheme to divert medications for his own use, according to the release.
Newsweek has reached out to an attorney for Voegel-Podadera and Seattle Children's Hospital for comment via email Tuesday afternoon.
Why It Matters
The discovery of the diversion highlights the vulnerability of both the patients and the medical systems that rely on doctors.
It also underscores the larger picture of fraud occurring in medical settings, including the crimes in the wider healthcare fraud case uncovered by the DOJ.
The doctor not only used his position to steal the drugs, but also, as the release alleges, used those drugs while working at the hospital.
What To Know
Voegel-Podadera allegedly used his position as an anesthesiology resident to take "fentanyl, hydromorphone, and other medications over the course of at least a year while working at Seattle Children's Hospital, Harborview Medical Center, and University of Washington Medical Center," the release said.
"He sometimes used the diverted substances while still at the hospital, meaning he was under the influence of potent narcotics while treating patients," the release added.
The medications were intended for patients who were receiving care at the children's hospital for a variety of treatments.
"Diverting medicine away from infant patients is despicable, doubly so if the person involved is a doctor," said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division said in the press release, adding, "If Dr. Voegel-Podadera is convicted, it will show that he violated both his oath and the law, and I am proud that DEA could help stop him."
Voegel-Podadera's involvement is just a fraction of the larger fraud that authorities uncovered, with officials identifying perpetrators not just in the United States but also in Russia, Eastern Europe, Pakistan, and other countries.
Authorities attributed the scale of losses to the increasing sophistication and coordination of transnational syndicates, using methods such as foreign straw owners and stolen personal information to file false claims.
One of the headline investigations, dubbed Operation Gold Rush, centered around a $10 billion urinary catheter scheme.
The fraudulent schemes drained billions from federally funded programs like Medicare and Medicaid, directly undermining trust and reducing available resources for legitimate patients.
What People Are Saying
Acting U.S. Attorney Miller said in the press release: "The medical resident stole narcotics and used them while at work in the UW hospital system, putting patients in jeopardy."
Matthew Galeotti, head of DOJ's criminal division, said in the press release: "Every fraudulent claim, every fake billing, every kickback scheme represents money taken directly from American taxpayers, who fund these essential programs through their hard work and sacrifice."
What Happens Next
Voegel-Podadera made an initial appearance last week, U.S. Attorney's Office Communications Director Emily Langlie said in an email to Newsweek.
Langlie said if Voegel-Podadera is indicted by the grand jury, it would be during his next appearance.
It is also unknown what penalties he could face, including loss of medical license to practice.
Criminal proceedings are ongoing across multiple federal and state jurisdictions, with some cases—like those related to Operation Gold Rush and Western Washington pediatric drug diversion—still in early stages.
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