Anissa Maroof, a physician from Potomac, Maryland, has pleaded guilty to federal charges related to the unlawful distribution of controlled substances. The announcement was made by Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, alongside Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the FBI's Baltimore Field Office.
The guilty plea reveals that between January 2019 and June 2022, Maroof distributed Alprazolam, Amphetamine-dextroamphetamine, and Buprenorphine outside professional practice boundaries and without legitimate medical purposes. As a board-certified addiction psychiatry specialist operating a medical practice in Bethesda, Maryland, she had authorization to prescribe controlled substances through her DEA registration number.
Maroof provided prescriptions for these substances to patients from West Virginia without warning them about potential risks. She continued prescribing even after patients admitted selling excess medication illicitly. Moreover, she issued prescriptions without therapeutic services and often directed patients on how to distribute their prescription pickups across various pharmacies.
Her sentencing is scheduled for August 19, 2025. She could face up to 20 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release under U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chaung.
U.S. Attorney Hayes acknowledged the FBI's role in the investigation and expressed gratitude towards Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Sarma and Elizabeth Wright for prosecuting the case along with assistance from the Montgomery County Police Department.
Further information on resources offered by the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office can be found on their official website.