Millions Recovered from Illegal Online Pharmacy Operator in Florida
An online pharmacy operator, convicted in May 2009 for distributing approximately 44 million doses of prescription medication to consumers without valid prescriptions, has forfeited $12 million in profit. Approximately $2.67 million went to the local law enforcement agencies that prosecuted him, reports the Orlando Sentinel.
Jude LaCour and his father Jeffery LaCour, ran an online pharmacy under the corporation name, “Jive Network, Inc.” which distributed controlled substances and other prescription drugs to customers throughout the United States who did not have valid prescriptions, reported Network World.
LaCour, a Daytona Beach resident, was found guilty of 52 counts of money laundering and drug-trafficking offenses involving the sale of controlled substances over the internet.
<
A U.S. online pharmacy operator, convicted in May 2009 for distributing approximately 44 million doses of prescription medication to consumers without valid prescriptions, has forfeited $12 million in profit. Approximately $2.67 million went to the local law enforcement agencies that prosecuted him, reports the Orlando Sentinel.
Jude LaCour and his father Jeffery LaCour, ran an online pharmacy under the corporation name, “Jive Network, Inc.” which distributed controlled substances and other prescription drugs to customers throughout the United States who did not have valid prescriptions, reported Network World.
LaCour, a Daytona Beach resident, was found guilty of 52 counts of money laundering and drug-trafficking offenses involving the sale of controlled substances over the internet. In addition, a pharmacist and two doctors were sentenced to prison.
“Customers, who had no prescriptions, accessed the websites and purchased the controlled substances with a credit card or by money order. The customers also completed a short health history questionnaire. Jive Network did not verify the customers’ identities and did not require the customers to submit any medical records during the ordering process,” said the FBI. In addition, the conspirators recruited doctors to review health questionnaire answers and approve customer orders based solely on the answers, without a face-to-face examination, nor was there any attempt to verify the identity of the customers.
In addition, LaCour recruited pharmacists, often not licensed in the states they were shipping to, to dispense and ship the drugs throughout the United States.
Jive Network received well over 500,000 customer orders for controlled substances and illegally generated revenue in excess of $77 million.
The Sheriff’s Office received approximately $1 million, the FDLE received about $388,000 and the Daytona Beach Police Department received almost $365,000. The Port Orange, New Smyrna Beach and Daytona Beach Shores police departments each received about $200,000.
While pleased with the recovery, Volusia County Sheriff Ben Johnson is happiest with the conviction, “The biggest thing is what we took off the street,” reported the Orlando Sentinel.