Stericycle Inc. will pay more than $56 million to put parallel criminal and civil probes behind it after federal investigators scrutinized how the company handled prescription drugs meant for disposal. Prosecutors said the company failed to report thefts and stored controlled substances in unsecured or unregistered locations, creating chances for the drugs to be diverted across its U.S. network.
What prosecutors say
In a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, officials said Stericycle agreed to a one-year deferred prosecution agreement that includes a $19.08 million criminal penalty and $37.81 million to resolve civil liability. U.S. Attorney Eric Grant said, “Stericycle has accepted responsibility for handling controlled substances in a manner that was insecure, unsafe and unlawful.” The Drug Enforcement Administration and the FBI led the investigation, according to prosecutors.
Timeline and corporate moves
Prosecutors said the misconduct stretched from 2015 through 2020, when Stericycle ran a retail controlled-substances collection and disposal business. That line of business was divested in April 2020, according to filings with the SEC. The rest of Stericycle’s operations were later acquired by Waste Management, which completed its purchase in November 2024 and now owns the successor operations…