An American-Nigerian pharmacist, Olushola Yusuf, has been sentenced to 90 months in a United States federal prison for illegally dispensing more than 335,000 oxycodone pills to customers, prosecutors said had no legitimate medical need for the drugs.
Yusuf, 60, from Tampa, Florida, was sentenced on Thursday, October 29, following her conviction by a federal jury in July on one count of conspiracy to illegally distribute controlled drugs and five counts of unlawful distribution. The Department of Justice announced the sentence on Friday.
Court evidence showed that Yusuf used two pharmacies she owned, Boots LLC, trading as Striderite in Margate, and Chans Pharmacy Plus in Pembroke Pines, to supply oxycodone 30mg tablets. Prosecutors described the tablets as the highest strength available, generally reserved for patients with severe pain, including those living with cancer or recovering from traumatic injuries.
Investigators said she dispensed the drug to almost all customers, charged about ten times the usual price and insisted on cash payments. Some reportedly paid up to $1,300 monthly, while others travelled long distances after pharmacies refused to fill their prescriptions.
The trial also heard that some customers were drug dealers collecting pills in the names of people who were not present. Witnesses said Yusuf kept pharmacy doors locked during business hours and instructed staff to admit only selected customers. She continued despite warnings from employees and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The case highlights pharmacists’ responsibility as gatekeepers in the distribution of controlled medicines. Oxycodone is prescribed for severe pain but carries serious risks of addiction, overdose and death when misused. The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has warned that prescription opioids can cause dependence and fatal overdose.
The Justice Department said at least 335,351 tablets were dispensed during the conspiracy. Prosecutors argued that the operation exploited people struggling with addiction and placed communities at risk for financial gain in South Florida.
Yusuf’s co defendant, Saman Gimenez, pleaded guilty to conspiracy. In a separate announcement on October 15, the Justice Department said Jose Llerena had also pleaded guilty over a related scheme involving more than 87,000 oxycodone pills. Prosecutors said Llerena recruited people to pose as patients and obtain prescriptions later collected from Yusuf’s pharmacies.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI and Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General investigated the case. The sentence concludes a prosecution that exposed the alleged abuse of professional trust behind a pharmacy counter.
