San Diego doctor Jennings Staley sentenced in hydroxychloroquine scheme

In March and April of 2020, because the coronavirus unfold and other people isolated in their properties, a doctor in San Diego boasted that he had his arms on a “miracle treatment,” in line with prosecutors — hydroxychloroquine.

In mass-marketing emails from his business, Skinny Seashore Med Spa, Jennings Ryan Staley mentioned the drug was included in his coronavirus “remedy kits,” regardless of the medication changing into increasingly scarce. But Staley had a approach of getting it, he later informed an undercover federal agent. He planned to smuggle in a barrel of hydroxychloroquine powder with the assistance of a Chinese provider, prosecutors mentioned.

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

“On the top of the pandemic, earlier than vaccines had been accessible, this doctor sought to profit from patients’ fears,” U.S. Lawyer Randy Grossman said in a information launch. “He abused his position of belief and undermined the integrity of the entire medical profession.”

Staley’s legal professional did not immediately respond to requests for remark late Monday.

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

Hydroxychloroquine is often prescribed to folks with lupus and rheumatoid arthritis and is used to deal with 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 brought about demand for the drug to spike, leading to shortages and finally affecting those that needed it for non-covid health issues. Research later found that hydroxychloroquine just isn't an efficient remedy for covid and did not forestall folks from becoming sick.

In line with prosecutors, federal brokers started looking into Staley after involved prospects alerted the FBI to the advertising and marketing emails from Skinny Seaside Med Spa. The business advertised “world-class beauty innovations at reasonably priced prices,” court docket documents show, and supplied providers together with Botox, fat switch, hair removing and tattoo elimination.

The covid remedy kit came with a 30-day “concierge medical expertise,” intravenous drips, entry to medical hyperbaric oxygen (at an extra price), and prescriptions for hydroxychloroquine, azithromycin and anti-anxiety medicines, data show.

In late March 2020, an undercover agent responded to one of the emails and inquired in regards to the remedy package, investigators mentioned. When Staley and the agent spoke on the telephone quickly after, the physician falsely claimed that hydroxychloroquine was a “magic bullet” and an “superb remedy” that will preserve someone immune from covid for not less than six weeks, in keeping with court data.

“It’s preventive and healing,” Staley mentioned to the spy, court docket paperwork present. “It’s laborious to imagine, it’s virtually too good to be true. But it surely’s a exceptional clinical phenomenon.”

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

When asked by the agent whether or not the treatment was a “guaranteed” treatment for covid, Staley stated yes but certified that “there’s at all times exceptions” and “there aren't any ensures in life,” court docket information show.

During the call, Staley additionally instructed the agent how he was sourcing the hydroxychloroquine. He stated that he “received the last tank of hydroxychloroquine smuggled out of China,” data present, 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 variations of Viagra and Xanax, a federally managed substance, despite by no means asking him “any medical questions,” prosecutors stated. The agent ordered six kits — enough for himself and 5 members of the family — for $4,000, in accordance with court documents.

A Florida man received thousands and thousands in coronavirus assist. He used it to purchase a Lamborghini, prosecutors say.

Staley was charged in mid-April 2020 and pleaded responsible in July 2021. As part of his plea settlement, Staley also admitted to posing as one among his employees 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 agents throughout the investigation.

“Dr. Staley provided a ‘magic bullet’ — a guaranteed cure for COVID-19 to individuals gripped in fear throughout a worldwide pandemic,” FBI Special Agent in Cost Suzanne Turner said in a information launch when Staley pleaded responsible. “Immediately, Dr. Staley admitted it was all a lie as a part of a rip-off to make a fast buck.”

As part of his sentencing on Friday, Staley was ordered to pay a $10,000 effective and to present back the $4,000 the federal agent paid for his household’s equipment. He additionally needed to hand over “greater than 4,500 tablets of various pharmaceutical medication, a number of bags of empty capsule capsules, and a manual capsule-filling machine,” prosecutors stated.

Based on data from the medical board of California, Staley’s license has been temporarily suspended by a court docket order.