Federal prosecutors have accused Dr. Ritesh Kalra, a 51-year-old internist from Fair Lawn, New Jersey, of running what they call a “pill mill.”
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Ritesh Kalra allegedly issued over 31,000 opioid prescriptions between January 2019 and February 2025.
On some days, he reportedly wrote as many as 50 prescriptions. Investigators claim his clinic was part of the larger opioid crisis that has devastated communities across the United States.
The allegations go beyond overprescribing. Former employees told investigators that several female patients accused Ritesh Kalra of inappropriate sexual behavior. He allegedly coerced some women to perform sexual favors, including oral sex, in exchange for opioid refills.
One woman accused him of forced anal sex during a clinic visit. In another disturbing claim, Ritesh Kalra allegedly prescribed opioids to a patient even while the person was in jail, without any direct medical contact.
Prosecutors also accuse Ritesh Kalra of insurance fraud. He allegedly billed New Jersey’s health programs for office visits and counseling sessions that never took place.
His prescriptions included high-risk drugs like oxycodone and promethazine with codeine, both known for severe addiction risks.
Ritesh Kalra graduated from the Medical University of Silesia in Poland and has practiced internal medicine for over two decades.
However, these charges contrast sharply with the trusted image he built online. Court records show that in 2016 he was ordered to pay Rs. 12,000 in unpaid wages to a former employee.
He now faces five federal counts—three for unauthorized distribution of controlled substances and two for healthcare fraud.
Defense attorney Michael Baldassare calls the allegations “tabloid.” Still, the case raises serious questions about medical ethics, oversight, and public trust.
