MIAMI, Fla. (CBS12) — The ringleader of a $78 million drug diversion scheme was sentenced to 14 years in prison.
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) said Stephen Costa, 40, pleaded guilty to leading a conspiracy that distributed thousands of bottles of diverted medications — many intended for HIV and cancer patients — into the regulated supply chain across the United States. The scheme, which began in 2013 and continued even while Costa served time for a prior conviction, ultimately resulted in $78 million in fraudulent sales.
According to court documents, Costa acquired licensed pharmaceutical wholesale companies using the names of recruited associates and created new corporations to distribute the drugs. He directed co-conspirators on how to price, market, and sell the medications, which were purchased from street-level suppliers and repackaged under false labeling…