A federal jury in the Southern District of Florida convicted a Florida-licensed pharmacist and pharmacy owner for her role in dispensing over 300,000 oxycodone 30mg pills to pharmacy patrons who had no medical need for the drug.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Olushola Yusuf, 60, of Tampa, dispensed oxycodone to nearly all her pharmacy customers.
Ms Yusuf charged customers approximately 10 times the typical cost of the drug and required payment from them in cash. In total, Ms Yusuf dispensed at least 335,351 pills of oxycodone 30mg during the conspiracy.
Oxycodone 30mg is the maximum strength available of the drug and is both sought after and potentially dangerous due to its potency. It is typically prescribed to seriously ill patients, such as those suffering from chronic cancer pain or traumatic injuries.
Ms Yusuf owned and operated two pharmacies: Boots LLC d/b/a Striderite (Boots) in Margate, Florida, and Chans Pharmacy Plus, Inc. (Chans) in Pembroke Pines, Florida.
Ms Yusuf distributed oxycodone 30mg pills through these pharmacies. Customers drove long distances across Florida to have Ms Yusuf fill prescriptions they could not get filled at any other pharmacy.
Some customers paid as much as $1,000 a month in cash to Ms Yusuf for the drugs. Some customers were drug dealers who picked up oxycodone pills purportedly on behalf of dozens of patients at a time who were not present.
According to witnesses at trial, Ms Yusuf kept the doors to her pharmacies locked during business hours, directing employees only to open the door for certain identified customers. Ms Yusuf continued to dispense the oxycodone in this way even after repeated warnings from her employees and the DEA about the dangers of her pharmacy operations.
The jury convicted Ms Yusuf of conspiracy to distribute drugs illegally and five counts of illegal drug distribution. Ms Yusuf’s co-defendant, Saman Gimenez, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute drugs illegally and is scheduled to be sentenced in October of this year.
Ms Yusuf faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count. A sentencing hearing will occur on October 14, 2026.
“Olushola Yusuf did not simply ignore red flags. She built her business around them,” said U.S. attorney Jason Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “She knowingly flooded South Florida communities with more than 335,000 high-dose oxycodone pills, even after her employees and the DEA warned her about the dangers of her conduct. Yusuf charged extraordinary cash prices, served drug dealers and customers who travelled long distances, and put profit ahead of patients, public safety, and her responsibilities as a pharmacist. Yesterday (Tuesday), a federal jury held her accountable.”
“By distributing dangerous and highly addictive narcotics, the defendant demonstrated a clear disregard for their community and endangered countless residents who should have been able to trust their pharmacist,” said FBI co-deputy director Christopher Raia. “The opioid epidemic continues to plague our nation, which is why the FBI, along with our partners, will continue to hold the criminals poisoning our communities with these drugs accountable.”
