San Diego doctor Jennings Staley sentenced in hydroxychloroquine scheme

In March and April of 2020, as the coronavirus spread and folks isolated of their properties, a physician in San Diego boasted that he had his palms on a “miracle remedy,” in keeping with prosecutors — hydroxychloroquine.

In mass-marketing emails from his business, Skinny Beach Med Spa, Jennings Ryan Staley stated the drug was included in his coronavirus “treatment kits,” despite the remedy turning into increasingly scarce. However Staley had a way of getting it, he later advised an undercover federal agent. He deliberate to smuggle in a barrel of hydroxychloroquine powder with the assistance of a Chinese language supplier, prosecutors mentioned.

Staley was sentenced last week to 30 days in prison and a yr of dwelling confinement for the scheme. He pleaded responsible last yr.

“At the peak of the pandemic, before vaccines had been accessible, this doctor sought to revenue from patients’ fears,” U.S. Lawyer Randy Grossman stated in a information release. “He abused his position of belief and undermined the integrity of the whole medical career.”

Staley’s legal professional did not instantly reply to requests for comment late Monday.

How false hope spread about hydroxychloroquine to deal with covid-19 — and the consequences that adopted

Hydroxychloroquine is usually prescribed to people with lupus and rheumatoid arthritis and is used to deal with malaria. The drug was repeatedly touted by President Donald Trump, starting in the early days of the pandemic, as a “recreation changer.” Trump’s endorsement triggered demand for the drug to spike, leading to shortages and finally affecting those who needed it for non-covid well being problems. Research later discovered that hydroxychloroquine is not an effective remedy for covid and did not forestall folks from changing into sick.

In accordance with prosecutors, federal agents began trying into Staley after concerned clients alerted the FBI to the marketing emails from Skinny Seashore Med Spa. The enterprise marketed “world-class beauty innovations at reasonably priced costs,” court docket paperwork present, and provided companies including Botox, fat transfer, hair removal and tattoo removing.

The covid treatment equipment came with a 30-day “concierge medical experience,” intravenous drips, entry to medical hyperbaric oxygen (at an additional payment), and prescriptions for hydroxychloroquine, azithromycin and anti-anxiety medicines, records present.

In late March 2020, an secret agent responded to one of many emails and inquired about the treatment kit, investigators stated. When Staley and the agent spoke on the phone soon after, the doctor falsely claimed that hydroxychloroquine was a “magic bullet” and an “superb cure” that would keep somebody immune from covid for a minimum of six weeks, in response to court information.

“It’s preventive and healing,” Staley stated to the undercover agent, court paperwork present. “It’s laborious to consider, it’s virtually too good to be true. But it’s a remarkable medical phenomenon.”

He added that the virus “literally disappears in hours” after a person takes the drug.

When requested by the agent whether or not the medicine was a “guaranteed” cure for covid, Staley stated yes but qualified that “there’s always exceptions” and “there are not any ensures in life,” court information show.

In the course of the call, Staley also advised the agent how he was sourcing the hydroxychloroquine. He stated that he “received the last tank of hydroxychloroquine smuggled out of China,” data present, and that he “tricked customs” by labeling the barrel as “candy potato extract.” He added that the powder was sufficient to make 8,000 doses in gelatin capsules.

Staley later supplied the agent prescriptions for generic variations of Viagra and Xanax, a federally managed substance, regardless of by no means asking him “any medical questions,” prosecutors stated. The agent ordered six kits — enough for himself and 5 family members — for $4,000, in response to courtroom paperwork.

A Florida man acquired thousands and thousands in coronavirus assist. He used it to purchase a Lamborghini, prosecutors say.

Staley was charged in mid-April 2020 and pleaded responsible in July 2021. As a part of his plea settlement, Staley additionally admitted to posing as certainly one of his workers to fill a prescription for hydroxychloroquine to then use it in his kits, prosecutors stated. And he agreed to accusations that he lied to federal agents throughout the investigation.

“Dr. Staley offered a ‘magic bullet’ — a assured remedy for COVID-19 to people gripped in worry throughout a worldwide pandemic,” FBI Particular Agent in Cost Suzanne Turner stated in a information launch when Staley pleaded responsible. “At this time, Dr. Staley admitted it was all a lie as part of a rip-off to make a quick buck.”

As part of his sentencing on Friday, Staley was ordered to pay a $10,000 positive and to give again the $4,000 the federal agent paid for his household’s equipment. He additionally needed to hand over “more than 4,500 tablets of various pharmaceutical medicine, multiple luggage of empty capsule capsules, and a manual capsule-filling machine,” prosecutors stated.

In keeping with data from the medical board of California, Staley’s license has been temporarily suspended by a court docket order.