San Diego doctor Jennings Staley sentenced in hydroxychloroquine scheme

In March and April of 2020, because the coronavirus unfold and people remoted of their properties, a doctor in San Diego boasted that he had his fingers on a “miracle cure,” in response to prosecutors — hydroxychloroquine.

In mass-marketing emails from his enterprise, Skinny Beach Med Spa, Jennings Ryan Staley mentioned the drug was included in his coronavirus “treatment kits,” regardless of the medication changing into increasingly scarce. But Staley had a method of getting it, he later advised an undercover federal agent. He deliberate to smuggle in a barrel of hydroxychloroquine powder with the help of a Chinese provider, prosecutors mentioned.

Staley was sentenced last week to 30 days in prison and a 12 months of house confinement for the scheme. He pleaded responsible final 12 months.

“At the height of the pandemic, earlier than vaccines were obtainable, this physician sought to revenue from patients’ fears,” U.S. Lawyer Randy Grossman mentioned in a information release. “He abused his position of trust and undermined the integrity of your entire medical career.”

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

How false hope spread about hydroxychloroquine to treat covid-19 — and the implications that adopted

Hydroxychloroquine is often prescribed to individuals with lupus and rheumatoid arthritis and is used to treat malaria. The drug was repeatedly touted by President Donald Trump, beginning within the early days of the pandemic, as a “sport changer.” Trump’s endorsement precipitated demand for the drug to spike, resulting in shortages and ultimately affecting those that needed it for non-covid well being problems. Research later discovered that hydroxychloroquine is just not an effective treatment for covid and didn't prevent people from changing into sick.

In keeping with prosecutors, federal agents began looking into Staley after involved prospects alerted the FBI to the advertising emails from Skinny Seashore Med Spa. The enterprise advertised “world-class beauty innovations at reasonably priced costs,” court docket paperwork present, and offered companies including Botox, fats transfer, hair removing and tattoo removal.

The covid treatment kit got here with a 30-day “concierge medical expertise,” intravenous drips, access to medical hyperbaric oxygen (at an additional fee), and prescriptions for hydroxychloroquine, azithromycin and anti-anxiety medications, data present.

In late March 2020, an undercover agent responded to one of the emails and inquired about the remedy kit, investigators said. When Staley and the agent spoke on the phone quickly after, the doctor falsely claimed that hydroxychloroquine was a “magic bullet” and an “superb cure” that may maintain somebody immune from covid for no less than six weeks, according to courtroom data.

“It’s preventive and curative,” Staley mentioned to the secret agent, courtroom documents show. “It’s onerous to consider, it’s nearly too good to be true. But it’s a exceptional medical phenomenon.”

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

When requested by the agent whether the medicine was a “guaranteed” treatment for covid, Staley mentioned yes however certified that “there’s all the time exceptions” and “there are no guarantees in life,” court information show.

In the course of the call, Staley additionally informed the agent how he was sourcing the hydroxychloroquine. He stated that he “bought the final tank of hydroxychloroquine smuggled out of China,” records show, and that he “tricked customs” by labeling the barrel as “sweet potato extract.” He added that the powder was sufficient to make 8,000 doses in gelatin capsules.

Staley later provided the agent prescriptions for generic versions of Viagra and Xanax, a federally managed substance, regardless of never asking him “any medical questions,” prosecutors said. The agent ordered six kits — enough for himself and five members of the family — for $4,000, in accordance with court docket paperwork.

A Florida man acquired tens of millions in coronavirus help. He used it to buy a Lamborghini, prosecutors say.

Staley was charged in mid-April 2020 and pleaded guilty in July 2021. As part of his plea settlement, Staley also admitted to posing as considered one of his staff 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 brokers throughout the investigation.

“Dr. Staley offered a ‘magic bullet’ — a guaranteed cure for COVID-19 to folks gripped in worry throughout a world pandemic,” FBI Special Agent in Charge Suzanne Turner stated in a news launch when Staley pleaded responsible. “At this time, Dr. Staley admitted it was all a lie as part of a scam to make a fast buck.”

As part of his sentencing on Friday, Staley was ordered to pay a $10,000 wonderful and to provide again the $4,000 the federal agent paid for his family’s equipment. He also needed to hand over “greater than 4,500 tablets of various pharmaceutical medicine, a number of luggage of empty capsule capsules, and a guide capsule-filling machine,” prosecutors said.

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