Waterford Doctor Charged With Prescription Drug Scheme

LATHRUP VILLAGE (AP) — A doctor who ran a cash-only clinic in suburban Detroit has been charged with conspiring to illegally distribute more than 1 million doses of drugs, especially opioids.

Prosecutors say Dr. Afzal Beemath of Waterford appeared briefly in federal court Wednesday and was returned to jail to await another hearing on Thursday.

The indictment says he operated a clinic in Lathrup Village and conspired with recruiters who brought people to his office. The government says they would pay cash for prescriptions and then sell them on the streets. The indictment says the street value of the drugs, including oxycodone, exceeded $32 million since 2013.

It wasn't immediately known if Beemath has a lawyer who could speak on his behalf.

Beemath is accused of performing a "cursory examination" of people who appeared at his clinic or no exam at all.