An Emmy-winning TV reporter has been accused of fueling America's opioid crisis in a 'cash for pills' scheme worth more than $14 million, according to federal authorities.
Clara Wilkerson, 65, was indicted alongside three doctors and the owner of one of the alleged fake clinics, the Department of Justice said on Thursday.
The anchor and producer who formerly worked for WDIV-TV, as well as stations in Florida and Washington DC, allegedly helped release 2.4 million doses of Oxymorphone, Hydrocodone and Oxycodone into the streets, the indictment claims.
Wilkerson, who produced videos featured on PBS and the Oprah Winfrey Show, allegedly used companies she owns to recruit and pay doctors to illegally prescribe drugs at bogus medical clinics, the grand jury indictment read.
The media boss currently works as an executive producer and program creator for The Chavis Chronicles, a weekly series on PBC TV Network stations, according to her LinkedIn.
She allegedly used her companies, CRW Worldwide, LLC and CRW Development, Inc, and recruited medical professionals to take part in the scheme, federal authorities said.
One of the fake clinics, Woodward Boulevard Medical Building (WBMB) in Detroit, Michigan, was owned and operated by Latanya Wallace-Hardiman. She has also been named in the 39-count indictment.
From 2021 to 2024, Dr Luis Rodriguez, Dr Nayantara Jnananand and Dr Prashanti Franklin allegedly issued prescriptions for the substances that are worth more than $4.6 million on the black market, the indictment stated.
Clara Wikerson, an Emmy-winning TV reporter, has been accused of fueling America's opioid crisis in a 'cash for pills' scheme worth more than $14 million, according to federal authorities
Doctors at another fraudulent office, P & A Aftercare, issued prescriptions for more than 1.9 million dosages that are equal to more than $10 million on the street market, according to the documents.
The 'cash only' alleged scheme operated from 2018 to September 2024, the indictment claims.
Those clinics 'refused to accept patient insurance for doctor visits even if the patient is insured,' and received payments between $250 and $500 'from patient recruiters or patients,' the legal filing read.
WBMB also 'reserved the right to charge up to $1,000,' according to forms that patients signed. Cash payments were only accepted by the alleged phony clinic when people received the prescriptions, federal agents said.
Patients were sometimes paid $100 or more by recruiters to see a doctor at the clinic and obtain prescriptions for opioids, the indictment alleged.
'Wilkerson used bank accounts in the name of her CRW companies to accept cash deposits and wire transfers of money generated from illegal prescribing at the medical clinics,' according to the indictment.
She 'then paid the doctors for serving patients by issuing controlled substance prescriptions,' it continued.
'Once the prescriptions were filled at a pharmacy, patient recruiters made significant profits by selling the pills on the street market,' the federal documents stated.
Wilkerson and Wallace-Hardiman have been charged with participating in a money laundering conspiracy and money laundering, the indictment said. If convicted, they each face up to 20 years in federal prison.
One of the fake clinics, Woodward Boulevard Medical Building (WBMB) in Detroit, Michigan, was owned and operated by Latanya Wallace-Hardiman. She has also been named in the 39-count indictment
The doctors were indicted on 23 counts of illegally distributing controlled substances and could face up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted.
All of the defendants have been charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distributing controlled substances.
Joseph Dixon, the special agent in charge of the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) field office in Detroit, condemned the doctors who were allegedly involved in the scheme.
'Medical professionals are entrusted with the responsibility of prescribing and dispensing controlled substances safely and lawfully.
Wilkerson (pictured) and Wallace-Hardiman have been charged with participating in a money laundering conspiracy and money laundering, the indictment said
'When they abuse that privilege for profit, they betray their patients, their communities, and the public trust. The DEA will hold accountable those who exploit their professional authority to fuel the illegal distribution of prescription medication.'
United States Attorney Jerome Gorgon also shamed the individuals who were indicted.
'Drug diversion schemes keep evolving as unscrupulous individuals try to sell profitable opiate prescriptions without getting caught.
'Not billing insurance companies will not save you from prosecution. Prescribers who work at "cash only" clinics are fueling the illegal street market. We will continue to investigate and prosecute these crimes in order to protect our citizens from the dangers of opiate drug abuse,' he said.
The Daily Mail contacted Wilkerson and her attorney Bertman L Johnson for comment.
Jnananand's lawyer, Mary J Kriger, and Franklin's attorney, George Donnini, have also been approached for comment.
No legal representation was listed for Wallace-Hardiman and Rodriguez.
PBS has also been contacted for comment.
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