MA Psychiatrist Rahim Shafa Indicted on Federal Drug, Money Laundering, and other Charges

August 29, 2020

On August 6, 2020  psychiatrist Rahim Shafa of Lexington, Massachusetts, was indicted on charges of international money laundering conspiracy, money laundering, conspiracy to defraud the United States, importing merchandise contrary to law, and receiving and delivering misbranded drugs with an intent to defraud.

Shafa owned and operated Novel Psychopharmacology offices in Milford and Natick. His wife, Nahid “Nina” Tormosi Shafa, who was the office manager, was also indicted on one charge of international money laundering conspiracy.

According to prosecutors, the medications they imported from January 2008 until January 2018 and offered for sale to patients were in a form not approved by the FDA.

“Distributing illegally imported prescription drugs of unknown origin and ingredients instead of FDA-approved drugs places the U.S. public health at risk,” FDA Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey J. Ebersole said in a news release.

The couple is also accused of falsifying shipping documents to make the packages containing the drugs look like lawful imports, in one case saying a package contained “plastic beads in plastic tubes.”

“In order to make money, the defendants allegedly circumvented mandatory FDA drug inspections and took advantage of vulnerable patients who sought to escape addiction through legitimate treatment,” U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling said in the release.

The couple were arrested on August 7. On August 26, the Shafas attended their arraignment hear via videoconference and pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Source: “Lexington Doctor, Wife Accused of Illegally Importing Medications From China,” CBS 4 Boston, August 7, 2020, URL: https://boston.cbslocal.com/2020/08/07/rahim-shafa-nahid-tormosi-shafa-lexington-doctor-wife-accused-illegally-importing-medications-china/ and Criminal Docket for Case #: 4:20-cr-40021-TSH-1, USA v. Shafa et al, United States District Court District of Massachusetts (Worcester).