A Michigan physician was convicted of conspiring to distribute controlled substances and 6 counts of distribution after prescribing more than 2 million pills of Adderall and other stimulants through an online attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) treatment platform, according to a US Department of Justice (DOJ) press release.
The physician received more than $1 million for prescribing medications issued without examining patients, including individuals with substance use disorders and serious psychiatric conditions.
A federal jury in the Western District of Michigan convicted Jonathan Decker, 46, of Rockford, Michigan, making him the 11th defendant convicted in a $100 million drug distribution and health care fraud scheme involving Done Global Inc., a California-based digital health company.
According to the DOJ, Decker prescribed methamphetamine and amphetamines to patients whose psychiatric symptoms were exacerbated by stimulant treatment. In one instance, he prescribed methamphetamine to a patient with an active substance use disorder who subsequently reported that multiple pharmacies had refused to fill the prescription.
In another case, Decker continued prescribing Adderall to a patient with schizophrenia despite receiving a message from the patient's mother notifying him and Done Global of the diagnosis and reporting that the medication exacerbated the patient's psychotic symptoms.
Federal prosecutors reported that Done providers continued prescribing stimulants to retain paying subscribers despite warnings involving Adderall-associated psychosis, bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, and other psychiatric conditions worsened by stimulant prescriptions.
The DOJ also released text messages attributed to Decker in which he claimed he could diagnose ADHD with a single question, reported having more than 3,000 patients across 3 states, and described stimulant medication as “diet meth.” Decker also recruited other medical professionals into the conspiracy, receiving thousands of dollars in referral bonuses.
The broader conspiracy involved the illegal distribution of more than 37 million Adderall pills to subscribers across all 50 states, according to the DOJ. Members of the conspiracy spent more than $40 million on social media advertisements that prosecutors said misled consumers into believing they had ADHD rather than other conditions affecting attention and mood.
Among the previously convicted defendants were 6 other licensed prescribers, 2 senior corporate employees, Done Global CEO Ruthia He, and Clinical President David Brody. He and Brody received prison sentences of 72 months and 24 months, respectively, and were ordered to forfeit more than $90 million in company revenues.
Done Global remains charged with conspiracy to illegally distribute controlled substances, conspiracy to commit health care fraud, and conspiracy to obstruct justice.
Decker faces a maximum statutory penalty of 140 years in prison. No sentencing date has been scheduled, and a federal district court judge will determine his sentence after considering federal sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
