Dr. Roya Jafari-Hassad, a Long Island doctor, was convicted of prescribing oxycodone without a legitimate medical purpose at her practice in Great Neck. The Justice Department stated that she only offered the opioid prescriptions for a price, with little concern for patients’ well-being, but plenty of interest in their cash. She was convicted on eight counts of this offense.
According to the Justice Department, an undercover DEA agent obtained ten prescriptions for oxycodone from Jafari-Hassad in 2021 and 2022, with little medical observation. The doctor charged $350 for a 15-day supply and $700 for a 30-day supply. Federal investigators began looking into her operation in 2019. While she was acquitted on two counts of witness tampering, she faces up to 20 years in prison on each of the eight counts she was convicted of.
Brooklyn U.S. Attorney Breon Peace called Jafari-Hassad a “drug dealer” and stated that corrupt doctors like her, who prioritize greed over their oath to do no harm, fuel the opioid epidemic. Despite the conviction, her defense attorney plans to appeal, alleging that the government set her up.
The case highlights the ongoing issue of prescription drug abuse and the lengths some medical professionals will go to for personal gain. Jafari-Hassad’s actions have not only damaged the trust between doctors and patients but have also contributed to the devastating effects of the opioid epidemic.
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