Orthopedic Surgeon Admits to Unlawfully Prescribing Controlled Substances

Evangelos Megariotis, 72, faces up to 20 years in prison for illegal pain medication prescriptions.

Newark, NJ – Evangelos Megariotis, a 72-year-old orthopedic surgeon from Clifton, admitted to multiple counts of unlawfully prescribing pain medications to his patients. U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced the guilty plea today.

Megariotis pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian R. Martinotti in Newark federal court to seven counts of a 34-count indictment. The charges involved dispensing Oxycodone, Oxycontin, and Oxycodone-Acetaminophen to five patients outside the usual course of professional practice and without legitimate medical purposes.

From March 2017 through November 2017, Megariotis, while practicing in Clifton, issued prescriptions for these Schedule II controlled substances, which have a high potential for abuse and can lead to severe psychological and physical dependence, as well as fatal overdoses.

Megariotis faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine, with sentencing scheduled for October 15, 2024.

Special agents, diversion investigators, and task force officers from the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Jersey Division, led by Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz, were credited with the investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ray Mateo of the Opioid Abuse Prevention & Enforcement Unit.