Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Viagra for the mob? This can't turn out well...
Reuters ^ | Fri May 6, 2005 12:17 PM ET | By Gail Appleson

Posted on 05/06/2005 9:50:41 AM PDT by sully777

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Three New York doctors were charged on Thursday with giving large amounts of Viagra and other anti-impotence drugs to mob members in return for construction and auto repair work done by mafia-controlled businesses.

Arlen Fleisher, Stephen Klass and George Shapiro, all doctors in Westchester County, a suburban area north of New York City, were accused of trading prescription drugs and drug samples with members and associates of the Gambino crime family. The one-count complaint was filed in Manhattan federal court.

Lawyers for all three defendants said their clients denied wrongdoing.

If convicted, the men could face a maximum 10-year prison term. They were arrested at their homes on Thursday morning and released after each posted a $50,000 bond.

In addition to Viagra, the doctors are accused of giving out Cialis, Levitra and other prescription drugs. According to court papers, Gambino members used the drugs and also gave them to others. In one instance, a high-ranking member of the Gambino crime family asked Klass to get him the cholesterol-lowering drug Lipitor for his barber, court papers said.

Federal prosecutors said no value has been publicly stated for the value of the pharmaceuticals that were traded.

Richard Herman, a lawyer for Shapiro, told reporters his client denies the charges. Herman also said Shapiro has a "pristine" record as a cardiologist and no criminal record.

Shapiro had been treating Gregory DePalma, who prosecutors say is a powerful "captain" in the Gambino family, for a heart condition, Herman said.

DePalma was indicted for racketeering in March along with the acting Gambino boss and other members and associates of the organized crime family. The charges against the doctors grew out of the investigation into Gambino family activities.

The complaint said that by the end of the FBI's probe, "DePalma was running a virtual pharmacy for his associates as a result of the large quantity of prescription drugs and drug samples" that he received from the three doctors.

"He (Shapiro) never had those drugs in the first place, so he couldn't have given them out," Herman said.

Robert Wolf, one of the lawyers representing Fleisher, said it is an accepted practice among doctors to give patients samples.

"This is a message to the medical profession. Don't treat Italians," he told reporters. "This is rampant and accepted in the medical profession, unless your patient is Italian."


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; Political Humor/Cartoons
KEYWORDS: baddabing; hardwiseguys

1 posted on 05/06/2005 9:50:46 AM PDT by sully777
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: pissant

Another interesting development *ping*


2 posted on 05/06/2005 9:51:50 AM PDT by sully777 (If anyone asks, I'm a monger-monger.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: sully777

Hmmm, must need more bodda bing, badda boom ....


3 posted on 05/06/2005 9:51:50 AM PDT by mgc1122
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: sully777

Who knew that they needed drugs to be such big p***ks.


4 posted on 05/06/2005 9:54:13 AM PDT by SmithL (Proud Submariner)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: mgc1122

there must be a joeybeautifuko in this story somewhere. If the Mob wanted viagra, they'd get it by the pallet, not the bottle, LOL


5 posted on 05/06/2005 9:55:17 AM PDT by Vn_survivor_67-68
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: sully777

Just look for Italian guys who walk funny.


6 posted on 05/06/2005 9:55:50 AM PDT by cripplecreek (I don't suffer from stress. I am a carrier!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: sully777
No, no, no. It was all a misunderstanding, you see. The requisition form said Vitagro for rehabilitation projects and. . . .
7 posted on 05/06/2005 9:58:40 AM PDT by righttackle44 (Whenever I get my haircut, I lose my Mexican heritage for three weeks. . . .)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: sully777

Hardened criminals?


8 posted on 05/06/2005 10:08:11 AM PDT by PBRSTREETGANG
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: sully777

"Say hello to my little *whoa* friend!"


9 posted on 05/06/2005 10:08:28 AM PDT by YouPosting2Me
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: PBRSTREETGANG

ROTFLMAO.

What happened to the PBSStreetGang? Elmo lost his bid to remain leader to Snuffy?


10 posted on 05/06/2005 10:09:52 AM PDT by sully777 (If anyone asks, I'm a monger-monger.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: sully777

I doubt they'll get a conviction.

There's simply no way this will stand up in court.


11 posted on 05/06/2005 10:19:12 AM PDT by MikeGranby
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MikeGranby

They may have been threatened by the mob or something as well if they did this, in which case I would let them off.

As for samples, a lot of doctors do that. So much for doctors always trying to extort as much money from you as they can...they give meds to you for free sometimes.


12 posted on 05/06/2005 10:24:26 AM PDT by rwfromkansas (http://www.xanga.com/home.aspx?user=rwfromkansas)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: sully777
Lawyers for all three defendants said their clients denied wrongdoing.

Expected bone of contention.

13 posted on 05/06/2005 10:29:16 AM PDT by GalaxieFiveHundred
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: sully777
"He (Shapiro) never had those drugs in the first place, so he couldn't have given them out," Herman said.

Perhaps, in this instance, the doctor's assistant made the boner.

14 posted on 05/06/2005 10:45:02 AM PDT by PBRSTREETGANG
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: sully777

Police pulled yet another stiff outta the river, more @ 11.


15 posted on 05/06/2005 10:50:38 AM PDT by tumblindice ("I don't want my brudda comin' outta that can with (only a breadstick) in his hand.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MikeGranby

"There's simply no way this will stand up in court."

Your post caught me by surprise. I'm a Southern Baptist, boy, born-again. I'm still laughing.


16 posted on 05/06/2005 10:52:12 AM PDT by righttackle44 (Whenever I get my haircut, I lose my Mexican heritage for three weeks. . . .)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: PBRSTREETGANG

LMAO!! Best line of the day!


17 posted on 05/06/2005 10:52:40 AM PDT by Yo-Yo
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: PBRSTREETGANG

Stiffer penal terms for the lot of them!


18 posted on 05/06/2005 10:54:25 AM PDT by jjmcgo
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: sully777

This explains where all the Viagra spam is coming from.


19 posted on 05/06/2005 12:43:14 PM PDT by aimhigh
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: aimhigh

Vic "the Torpedo" Gambino


20 posted on 05/06/2005 3:11:19 PM PDT by Rakkasan1 (The MRS wanted to go to an expensive place to eat so I took her to the gas station.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson