The company employee was accused of stealing narcotics from three pharmacies in Fort Edward, Saratoga, and Glens Falls. RGIS employees were also implicated in stealing narcotics from pharmacies in Kentucky, North Carolina, and Louisiana. In addition, WIS employees allegedly stole narcotics from pharmacies in Dallas, Duncanville, and Little Elm, Texas.
RGIS LLC (RGIS) and its affiliated company, Retail Services WIS Corporation (WIS), agreed to pay $158,760 to resolve allegations that they caused violations of the Controlled Substances Act. RGIS and WIS employees were accused of stealing controlled substances from pharmacies in upstate New York and throughout the United States. As part of the settlement, the two companies are changing their policies to require a more thorough vetting of employees assigned to inventory pharmacies nationwide.
“This settlement strengthens policies that previously provided opportunities for employees to steal while they inventoried controlled substances,” said United States Attorney Freedman. “We are committed to working with our DEA partners to eliminate sources of drug diversion in our communities.”
RGIS and WIS provide inventory services to client-retail stores throughout the United States, including retail pharmacies. For example, in July 2017, an RGIS employee stole Vicodin pills while stocking a retail pharmacy in Schenectady. RGIS fired the employee, but later rehired him.
RGIS and WIS agreed to implement extra procedures to ensure the proper vetting of employees assigned to pharmacy stocking, and to make the results of the vetting available to their pharmacy-clients. The pharmacy-clients, as DEA registrants, are ultimately responsible for supervising all personnel on the premises and preventing the diversion of controlled substances.
