Two M.D.s plead guilty to illegal $126 million Internet pharmacy

WASHINGTON Two California doctors have pleaded guilty to conspiracy for their participation in an illegal Internet pharmacy business. The business, according to the Department of Justice, generated more than $126 million in revenue from sales.

The business, known as Affpower, involved Chandresh Shah and Gerald Morris, both M.D.s, who pleaded guilty back on July 8. The two, along with 16 other defendants were indicted on July 27.

According to the indictment, the Affpower enterprise sold controlled and non-controlled prescription drugs through numerous affiliated Web sites to customers who lacked prescriptions for the drugs from a personal physician. From August 2004 to June 2006, the Affpower enterprise allegedly received more than one million Internet orders for controlled and non-controlled prescription pharmaceuticals from customers in all 50 U.S. states.

Morris and Shah admitted Affpower enterprise doctors conducted no physical or mental examinations before issuing prescriptions, had no contact with customers and had no physician-patient relationship with any customer for whom the doctors prescribed drugs.

The trials are scheduled to take place in March and April.