Brown Announces Charges Against Howard K. Stern and Two Physicians For Conspiring to Illegally Furnish Controlled Substances to Anna Nicole Smith
Los Angeles (March 12) – Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. announced that three individuals — Howard K. Stern, Dr. Khristine Eroshevich, and Dr. Sandeep Kapoor – have been charged with conspiring to furnish controlled substances to Anna Nicole Smith.
Attorney General Brown will discuss the charges and the arrests Friday, March 13 at 10:00 a.m.
“These individuals repeatedly and excessively furnished thousands of prescription pills to Anna Nicole Smith, often for no legitimate medical purpose,” Attorney General Brown said. “There is ample evidence that Dr. Eroshevich and Dr. Kapoor violated their ethical obligations as physicians, while Stern funneled highly addictive drugs to Ms. Smith.”
Over a period of three years, Drs. Eroshevich, and Kapoor, as well as Stern reportedly furnished thousands of prescription pills to Smith, including opiates, benzodiazapines, and other controlled and non-controlled substances.
The doctors falsified prescriptions and prescribed unwarranted amounts and combinations of highly addictive medications. Stern, Smith’s attorney and confidant, served as a vital link in obtaining, delivering, and administering these prescription drugs to Smith.
The investigation, launched in March 2007, is a cooperative effort between the California Attorney General’s Office, the Medical Board of California, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and the California Department of Insurance, Fraud Division.
Agents from these organizations worked in conjunction with the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office executing multiple search warrants, reviewing over 100,000 computer images and text, analyzing patient profiles and pharmacy logs, and have interviewed dozens of witnesses throughout the country and abroad.
Eleven counts were filed today. Arraignment dates for the defendants have not yet been scheduled. Bail was recommended at $20,000 for each defendant.
