San Diego doctor Jennings Staley sentenced in hydroxychloroquine scheme

In March and April of 2020, as the coronavirus unfold and people isolated of their homes, a physician in San Diego boasted that he had his arms on a “miracle cure,” in keeping with prosecutors — hydroxychloroquine.

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

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

“On the height of the pandemic, earlier than vaccines were out there, this physician sought to profit from patients’ fears,” U.S. Legal professional Randy Grossman said in a information release. “He abused his place of trust and undermined the integrity of your complete medical career.”

Staley’s attorney did not instantly respond to requests for remark late Monday.

How false hope spread about hydroxychloroquine to treat covid-19 — and the results that followed

Hydroxychloroquine is usually prescribed to individuals 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 prompted demand for the drug to spike, resulting in shortages and in the end affecting those who wanted it for non-covid well being problems. Research later found that hydroxychloroquine shouldn't be an effective treatment for covid and did not forestall people from changing into sick.

Based on prosecutors, federal brokers started trying into Staley after concerned customers alerted the FBI to the advertising emails from Skinny Seaside Med Spa. The enterprise advertised “world-class beauty improvements at inexpensive prices,” courtroom documents present, and supplied services including Botox, fats transfer, hair removing and tattoo elimination.

The covid treatment kit got here with a 30-day “concierge medical expertise,” intravenous drips, access to medical hyperbaric oxygen (at an extra charge), 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 in regards to the therapy package, investigators stated. When Staley and the agent spoke on the cellphone quickly after, the doctor falsely claimed that hydroxychloroquine was a “magic bullet” and an “wonderful treatment” that might maintain somebody immune from covid for at the very least six weeks, based on courtroom data.

“It’s preventive and curative,” Staley mentioned to the undercover agent, courtroom paperwork present. “It’s arduous to consider, it’s virtually too good to be true. However it’s a exceptional clinical phenomenon.”

He added that the virus “literally disappears in hours” after an individual takes the drug.

When asked by the agent whether or not the medication was a “guaranteed” cure for covid, Staley said sure but certified that “there’s all the time exceptions” and “there aren't any ensures in life,” court docket data present.

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

Staley later supplied the agent prescriptions for generic versions of Viagra and Xanax, a federally managed substance, despite by no means asking him “any medical questions,” prosecutors stated. The agent ordered six kits — sufficient for himself and five members of the family — for $4,000, in line with court paperwork.

A Florida man obtained millions in coronavirus support. He used it to buy a Lamborghini, prosecutors say.

Staley was charged in mid-April 2020 and pleaded guilty in July 2021. As a part of his plea settlement, Staley also admitted to posing as certainly 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 through the investigation.

“Dr. Staley offered a ‘magic bullet’ — a assured remedy for COVID-19 to folks gripped in fear during a global pandemic,” FBI Special Agent in Charge Suzanne Turner said in a news release when Staley pleaded guilty. “At present, Dr. Staley admitted it was all a lie as a 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 tremendous and to present again the $4,000 the federal agent paid for his family’s kit. He also had to hand over “greater than 4,500 tablets of various pharmaceutical medicine, a number of luggage of empty tablet capsules, and a manual capsule-filling machine,” prosecutors stated.

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