DEA: Rockland pharmacist ran $6M pill mill

MONTEBELLO - A pharmacist was arrested Wednesday morning as federal agents raided his home and accused him of running a painkiller prescription scam in which he pocketed more than $6 million.

Maurice Malin, 82, was arrested at 84 Lackawanna Trail by agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration, which is accusing him of filling prescriptions for people without conducting any medical examinations.

About 2 million butalbital pills are believed to have been distributed through those prescriptions over the past year, which may have been written using stolen identities, said Special Agent Timothy McMahon, a spokesman for the DEA's New Jersey office, which is investigating the case.

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McMahon said Wednesday morning that Malin was expected to appear in federal court in Manhattan later in the day to face a charge of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.

A spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's Office, however, said Wednesday afternoon that she was unable to provide any information on the case. That suggests the proceedings may have been sealed.

Malin was arrested as agents from the DEA's New York office executed search warrants at his home and the three Bronx locations of his business, Pharmacade Pharmacy, based at 1049 E. 163rd Street, McMahon said.

Agents in Montebello also said they also raided a location in Tappan in connection with the sting, but did not provide further details. Property records indicate Malin owns a residence on Hale Place in Tappan.

Agents said they found the painkiller Fioricet at Malin's home. The drug is the brand name for a combination of butalbital, caffeine and acetaminophin used to treat tension headaches and other conditions, according to WebMd.

Several agents spent much of the morning at Malin's home, which is part of a row of townhouses in a development off Hemion Road.

Three black DEA SUVs were parked across the street from the home on Lackawanna Trail, with four agents standing outside while others worked inside. Agents were seen taking boxes into the home, where they were combing through documents and computer files. They also towed a silver Honda CRV from the property.

The DEA began investigating Malin about a year ago, McMahon said.

Patients from across the country are believed to have received prescriptions from Malin's three pharmacies without being examined by doctors, he said. Patients would call the pharmacies and ask for prescriptions, which doctors would sign and mail out, he said.

Malin's operation allegedly pumped out about 600 prescriptions per day, he said.

The DEA is looking into whether the doctors actually worked for Malin or whether their identities were stolen and their signatures forged, McMahon said. The agency is also working with the U.S. Postal Service because the prescriptions were sent through the mail.

Malin pocketed a little more than $6 million since 2014 with his scheme, McMahon said.

Twitter: @MattSpillane