Yale-Affiliated Psychiatrist David Ciancimino Arrested on Federal Fraud and Drug Charges

September 24, 2021

Leonard C. Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, and Phillip Coyne, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), announced that Dr. DAVID CIANCIMINO, 62, of Trumbull, was arrested today on a federal criminal complaint charging him with health care fraud and controlled substances offenses related to the illegal distribution of prescription medication.

Ciancimino appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert M. Spector and was released on a $500,000 bond.

As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, Ciancimino has been a sole practitioner practicing psychiatry and neurology/psychiatry from an office located at 4 Corporate Drive in Shelton. Since October 2020, law enforcement has been investigating Ciancimino’s prescribing practices of various benzodiazepines, such as Xanax, and stimulants, such as Adderall.  The investigation, which has included the use of federal task force officers acting in an undercover capacity, revealed that Ciancimino was providing prescriptions for Adderall or Xanax to numerous individuals in exchange for $200 in cash, typically with little to no medical examination of his patients.  Many of Ciancimino’s patients used Medicaid to pay for the prescriptions Ciancimino wrote for them.

[Psychcrime.org note: As of publication time, Ciancimino was still listed on the Yale School of Medicine website, as well as YaleNewHavenHealth's website.) 

It is alleged that between July 2020 to September 2021, Ciancimino deposited approximately $356,000 in cash into his bank account.  Ciancimino also received dozens of payments of $200 through his Venmo account.

Ciancimino is charged with making false statements relating to health care matters, health care fraud, and distribution of controlled substances outside the scope of professional practice and not for legitimate medical purpose.

Acting U.S. Attorney Boyle stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  Charges are only allegations and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This investigation is being conducted by the DEA New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad and HHS-OIG’s Office of Investigations, with the assistance of the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection – Drug Control Division and the Middlebury Police Department.  The DEA’s Tactical Diversion Squad includes personnel from the DEA and the Bristol, East Windsor, Glastonbury, Hamden, Manchester, New Britain, Newington, Watertown and West Haven Police Departments.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather L. Cherry.

Source: “Shelton Doctor Charged with Selling Prescriptions for Cash, Health Care Fraud,” news release of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Connecticut, Department of Justice, Sept. 23, 2021, URL: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ct/pr/shelton-doctor-charged-selling-prescriptions-cash-health-care-fraud