A 27-year-old man from the state of New York, USA, has been arrested and charged for allegedly impersonating a physician and illegally distributing thousands of doses of a powerful prescription drug.

Fake doctor, real drugs

Authorities allege that between August 2023 and April 2025, Kevin Whitman falsely claimed to be a medical doctor and used a stolen Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) registration number belonging to Strong Memorial Hospital, a major medical center affiliated with the University of Rochester.
Using the fraudulent credentials, Whitman reportedly issued 177 prescriptions to nine individuals, with 173 of them involving oxycodone—a highly addictive opioid pain medication. In total, he is accused of distributing over 38,000 dosage units.

During a search of Whitman’s residence, investigators found a fabricated diploma framed to appear as if it were issued by the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. Authorities confirmed that Whitman was not licensed to practice medicine anywhere in the United States. He had never attended the University of Rochester, was not employed by Strong Memorial Hospital, and did not possess the legal authorization required to prescribe controlled substances.

Arrest

Whitman was arrested on Thursday and faces multiple federal charges, including illegal distribution of a controlled substance, unauthorized use of another person’s DEA number, and obtaining drugs by fraud. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to USD 1 million.

Fraud

The University of Rochester Medical Center issued a statement clarifying that Whitman had no affiliation with the institution and had never been enrolled as a medical student or employed by the university.

“When staff became aware that Mr. Whitman was misrepresenting himself as a physician, we acted immediately to clarify that these claims were false,” the university stated. “We also notified the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that he was falsely claiming employment with Strong Memorial Hospital.”

The university added that it was unaware of Whitman’s misuse of the DEA registration number until a confidential investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice was underway. The university’s internal security team assisted federal authorities during the probe.

This case highlights growing concerns about identity fraud in healthcare and the illicit distribution of prescription drugs, particularly opioids, which continue to contribute to addiction and overdose crises in many countries.