Doctor Wendell Lewis Randall, 71, of Millers Creek, N.C., was sentenced this week to 18 months in prison for his involvement in a prescription fraud scheme using a DEA registration number issued to another person. Randall, who pled guilty to the charges in November 2023, allowed unqualified medical providers to use his credentials to prescribe Suboxone without actually seeing the patients.
According to court documents, Randall was affiliated with L5 Medical Holdings, operating as Pain Care Center in several Virginia locations. Despite being assigned to the Woodlawn clinic, Randall was rarely physically present at any of the clinics. Instead, he permitted others to use his DEA registration number to prescribe controlled substances in his name in exchange for financial gain. The court also found that Randall failed to properly supervise nurses as he had claimed.
In sentencing Randall, United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh highlighted the severity of the offense, stating, "DEA registration numbers are unique identifiers issued to medical providers to ensure only qualified providers prescribe controlled substances." The investigation into L5's operation of pain clinics in western Virginia has led to multiple convictions, with several defendants already sentenced and others awaiting trial.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys and the Virginia Attorney General's Office. The announcement was made by various law enforcement agencies, including the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Virginia State Police, and the Virginia Attorney General's Office.
This prescription fraud scheme orchestrated by Randall sheds light on the importance of upholding ethical standards in the medical field and the consequences of compromising patient care for personal gain.