Florida Pharmacist Convicted of Massive Oxycodone Distribution Conspiracy

Defendant dispensed 300,000+ pills to patients with no medical need at 10x the price A federal jury in the Southern District of Florida convicted a Florida licensed pharmacist and pharmacy owner yesterday for her role in dispensing over 300,000 oxycodone 30mg pills to pharmacy patrons who had no medical need for the drug. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Olushola Yusuf, 60, of Tampa, dispensed oxycodone to nearly all her pharmacy customers. Yusuf charged customers approximately 10 times the typical cost of the drug and required payment from them in cash. In total, Yusuf dispensed at least 335,351 pills of oxycodone 30mg during the conspiracy. Oxycodone 30mg is the maximum strength available of the drug and is both sought after and potentially dangerous due to its potency. It is typically prescribed to seriously ill patients, such as those suffering from chronic cancer pain or traumatic injuries. Yusuf owned and operated two pharmacies, Boots LLC d/b/a Striderite (Boots) in Margate, Florida, and Chans Pharmacy Plus, Inc. (Chans) in Pembroke Pines, Florida. Yusuf distributed oxycodone 30mg pills through these pharmacies. Customers drove long distances across the state of Florida to have Yusuf fill prescriptions that they could not get filled at any other pharmacy. Some customers paid as much as $1,000 a month in cash to Yusuf for the drugs. And some customers were drug dealers, who picked up oxycodone pills purportedly on behalf of dozens of patients at a time who were not present. According to witnesses at trial, Yusuf kept the doors to her pharmacies locked during business hours, directing employees only to open the door for certain identified customers. Yusuf continued to dispense the oxycodone in this way even after repeated warnings from her employees and the DEA about the dangers of her pharmacy operations. The jury convicted Yusuf of conspiracy to illegally distribute drugs and five counts of illegal drug distribution. Yusuf’s co-defendant, Saman Gimenez, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to illegally distribute drugs and is scheduled to be sentenced in October of this year. Yusuf faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count. A sentencing hearing will occur on October 14, 2026. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.