WASHINGTON — Jury selection is set to begin this week for a Maryland physician accused of operating a large-scale pill mill spanning multiple states.
Dr. Ndubuisi Joseph Okafor, of Upper Marlboro, was originally charged in 2023 with 16 counts of illegal opioid distribution, but that was later increased to 29 counts. Prosecutors allege he used his practice, Okafor Medical Associates, to unlawfully distribute opioid prescriptions in exchange for cash.
According to federal prosecutors, Okafor issued more than 200,000 controlled substance prescriptions across 37 states between March and November 2022, using false IDs and a network of trusted customers. They claim he led a national drug distribution operation under the guise of medical practice.
Okafor has pleaded not guilty to all charges, denying any wrongdoing. His trial was initially scheduled for October 2023 but was postponed. Jury selection is now set to begin Tuesday in a D.C. federal court.
Prosecutors intend to present testimony from former patients who allegedly received multiple opioid prescriptions without proper examination. One witness reportedly obtained 24 oxycodone prescriptions and 133 for promethazine with codeine across 21 states. Another witness, who cooperated with authorities, allegedly secured 19 prescriptions under different identities in a three-month span.
The government also plans to call two medical experts who reviewed over 1,400 of Okafor’s prescriptions and analyzed recordings of his interactions with undercover officers. These experts concluded that Okafor operated a “classic pill mill,” where opioids were the primary treatment in every examined case. Prosecutors allege he exchanged prescriptions for cash in the exam room.
The judge overseeing the case recently approved Okafor’s request to call his own expert witness. Dr. Joe Ybarra, an emergency physician with nearly 40 years of experience, is expected to testify that Okafor’s prescribing methods reflected the complex clinical judgment involved in responsible medical practice.
Okafor, previously convicted of tax evasion and health care fraud in Maryland, has been held without bond since his arrest in April 2023. The court deemed him a flight risk, citing his history of fraud, dual Nigerian citizenship, and the $210,000 recovered by law enforcement from his person, home, and business accounts.
If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison for each count.
