MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Texas — Four Houston-area doctors have been arrested and charged in connection with eight overdose deaths, the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office announced Tuesday.
The doctors were allegedly prescribing controlled substances to patients without a valid medical purpose.
The DA’s office said in October 2018 they received federal grant funding from the Bureau of Justice Assistance in order to investigate and prosecute prescription drug diversion in the county. During the investigation, the DA’s office was able to compile data on overdose deaths, overdose hospitalizations and other reports from the Department of Public Safety to identify concerning medical practices.
Four doctors were identified in the investigation, and on June 26, 2019, the DA’s office executed search warrants at the doctors’ offices and seized medical records. Charges were later brought against the doctors for their involvement in illegally prescribing controlled substances to patients.
The doctors were identified as:
- Dr. Miguel Flores – charged with one count of committing unprofessional or dishonorable conduct by prescribing to a person who Dr. Flores knew or should have known was an abuser of controlled substances and one count for prescribing without a valid medical purpose. His office is located in Conroe, Texas. These counts are related to one overdose death.
- Dr. Fadi Ghanem - charged with three counts of committing unprofessional or dishonorable conduct by prescribing to a person who Dr. Fadi Ghanem knew or should have known was an abuser of controlled substances and three counts of prescribing without a valid medical purpose. His office is in the Woodlands, Texas. These counts are related to three overdose deaths.
- Dr. Hissamaddin Al-Khadour - charged with one count of operating a pain management clinic without being properly registered and one count for writing a false or fictitious prescription. His office is located in Shenandoah, Texas 77384.
- Dr. Emad Bishai - charged with four counts of committing unprofessional or dishonorable conduct by prescribing to a person who Dr. Bishai knew or should have known was an abuser of controlled substances and four counts of prescribing without a valid medical purpose. His office is located in the Woodlands, Texas. These counts are related to four overdose deaths. Dr. Bishai has also been charged with improperly delegating professional medical responsibility that stems from his practice of pre-signing Schedule II prescription forms. Dr. Bishai’s office building has also been seized by the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office in a civil asset forfeiture suit for being used in the commission of or acquired with proceeds from engaging in organized criminal activity, various violations of the Texas Health and Safety Code and insurance fraud.
The District Attorney’s Office is actively looking for any information related to these particular doctors or other doctors who may be involved in similar practices.
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