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Feds: Ex-CEO Is First Drug Exec Indicted In Opioid Crisis

Opioids seized by authorities in the Capital Region.
WAMC Photo by Dave Lucas
Opioids seized by authorities in the Capital Region.

The former head of a drug distributor has been indicted on what federal prosecutors say are the first-ever criminal charges against a drug company executive stemming from the opioid crisis.

The indictment unsealed Tuesday alleges former Rochester Drug Co-Operative CEO Laurence Doud III ordered subordinates to ignore red flags about certain customers to maximize company revenues and his own pay.

The Rochester, New York-based company was also charged. The company said it has a deferred prosecution agreement, will pay a $20 million fine to resolve a civil complaint and is implementing a "world-class compliance program."

Doud's lawyer said he intends to "fully defend" himself against the criminal charges. Doud alleges in a lawsuit that Rochester Drug Co-Operative tried using him as a scapegoat for its legal problems.

© 2019 Associated Press

Dave Lucas is WAMC’s Capital Region Bureau Chief. Born and raised in Albany, he’s been involved in nearly every aspect of local radio since 1981. Before joining WAMC, Dave was a reporter and anchor at WGY in Schenectady. Prior to that he hosted talk shows on WYJB and WROW, including the 1999 series of overnight radio broadcasts tracking the JonBenet Ramsey murder case with a cast of callers and characters from all over the world via the internet. In 2012, Dave received a Communicator Award of Distinction for his WAMC news story "Fail: The NYS Flood Panel," which explores whether the damage from Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee could have been prevented or at least curbed. Dave began his radio career as a “morning personality” at WABY in Albany.
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