Dr. Roya Jafari-Hassad was sentenced to seven years in federal prison today for prescribing oxycodone without a legitimate medical purpose and for fraudulent billing of insurance providers. The sentencing took place at the Central Islip federal court, where United States District Judge Gary R. Brown also imposed a $150,000 fine and ordered restitution of $152,765. Jafari-Hassad had been convicted in December 2024 on eight counts related to the illegal prescribing of oxycodone and pleaded guilty to health care fraud in April 2025.
The announcement was made by Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Frank A. Tarentino III, Associate Chief of Operations at the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Northeast Region; and Naomi Gruchacz, Special Agent in Charge at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General’s Office of Investigations for the New York Region.
“Dr. Jafari-Hassad used her medical practice to deal drugs, a disgraceful betrayal of her doctor’s oath to do no harm,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Today’s sentence holds her accountable for capitalizing on her patients’ dangerous opioid addictions to enrich herself. A jail term and serious financial penalties should serve as a warning to other healthcare professionals, that when they unlawfully prioritize profit over patient well-being, they will be brought to justice.”
Nocella also acknowledged assistance from the Suffolk County Police Department during the investigation.
“Today’s sentencing is a significant step for the DEA and our law enforcement partners pursuit of those health care professionals who exacerbate the ongoing healthcare crisis by prescribing dangerous and addictive opioids just for profit,” said DEA Associate Chief Tarentino. “Dr Jafari-Hassad knew the harmful effects opioids could have on her patients and yet she chose to jeopardize their health by turning her medical office into a modern-day pill mill.”
“The illegal prescribing practices for which this doctor was convicted and sentenced were especially egregious and contributed to fueling the opioid epidemic,” stated HHS-OIG Special Agent in Charge Gruchacz. “HHS-OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure health care providers involved in schemes that threaten patient safety are held accountable.”
Evidence presented at trial showed that between January 2019 and May 2022, Jafari-Hassad charged patients hundreds of dollars in cash each month for oxycodone prescriptions without valid medical reasons from offices located in Great Neck, Forest Hills (Queens), Manhattan, and other locations across New York City suburbs covered by federal jurisdiction under the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Sometimes prescriptions were issued without appointments or examinations after receiving payment information remotely.
Jafari-Hassad earned an estimated hundreds of thousands annually from these activities alone while also submitting false claims to Medicare and private insurers for services not provided.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles P. Kelly and Katherine Onyshko with support from Paralegal Specialist Samantha Schroder and Victim-Witness Specialist Stephanie Marroquin.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office serves Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, Nassau County, Suffolk County—and maintains offices in Brooklyn and Central Islip—handling both criminal prosecutions like this one as well as civil matters within its jurisdiction.
ROYA JAFARI-HASSAD
Age: 59
Bayside, New York
E.D.N.Y Docket No.: 22-CR-545 (S-2) (GRB)
