Counterfeit Medicine Has Cost Many American Lives

Tosh Ackerman died in Aptos, CA on October 27, 2015, after he took 1/4 of a Xanax pill made with fentanyl.
Tosh Ackerman
October 27, 2015
<a href="https://www.safemedicines.org/2018/09/sacramento-jerome-butler.html">Jerome Butler<br>March 30, 2016</a>
Jerome Butler
March 30, 2016
<a href="https://www.safemedicines.org/2018/05/maggie-crowley.html">Maggie DiVita Crowley<br>September 1, 2016</a>
Maggie DiVita Crowley
September 1, 2016
<a href="https://www.safemedicines.org/2019/10/eric-griffin-counterfeit-anxiety-med.html">Eric Griffin<br>May 10, 2016</a>
Eric Griffin
May 10, 2016
<a href="https://www.safemedicines.org/2017/12/joe-patterson.html">Joe Patterson<br> February 15, 2015</a>
Joe Patterson
February 15, 2015
Jake Beddoe died in Trumbull, CT on May 27, 2020, after he took part of a counterfeit Xanax.
Jake Beddoe
May 27, 2020
<a href="https://www.safemedicines.org/2017/02/sad-story-of-betty-hunters-death-illustrates-danger-of-fake-drugs.html">Betty Hunter<br> August 26, 2011</a>
Betty Hunter
August 26, 2011
<a href="https://www.safemedicines.org/2019/10/blain-padgett.html">Blain Padgett<br>March 2, 2018</a>
Blain Padgett
March 2, 2018
<a href="https://www.safemedicines.org/2018/07/robbie-hodge.html">Robert Hodge<br>December 4, 2016</a>
Robert Hodge
December 4, 2016
<a href="https://www.safemedicines.org/2019/10/ashley-romero-mother-slain-in-colorado.html">Ashley Romero<br>June 11, 2018</a>
Ashley Romero
June 11, 2018
<a href="https://www.safemedicines.org/2018/02/mother-warns-others-after-loss-of-son-because-of-a-counterfeit-xanax.html">Joshua Holton<br>September 15, 2016</a>
Joshua Holton
September 15, 2016
Prince Rogers Nelson<br>April 21, 2016
Prince Rogers Nelson
April 21, 2016
<a href="https://www.safemedicines.org/2020/05/jaydon-rogers-utah.html">Jaydon Rogers<br>March 14, 2018</a>
Jaydon Rogers
March 14, 2018
Nathan Van De Mark<br>December 13, 2017
Nathan Van De Mark
December 13, 2017
Travis Jacobson died in Los Angeles, CA on August 13, 2019, when a Xanax he took proved to be a fentanyl-laced counterfeit.
Travis Jacobson
August 13, 2019
Portland, Oregon resident Taylor Martinek died on January 14, 2017 after he unknowingly took a fentanyl-laced counterfeit OxyContin.
Taylor Martinek
January 14, 2017
Tiffanie Scott<br>July 6, 2016
Tiffanie Scott
July 6, 2016
Caley Epstein of Beaverton, OR died December 18, 2020 after taking a counterfeit pain pill he got on Snapchat..
Caley Epstein
December 18, 2020
14-year-old Aliso Viejo, CA resident Alex Neville died in June 2020 when the oxycodone he ordered on Snapchat turned out to be fentanyl.
Alexander Hastings Neville
June 23, 2020
16-year-old Daniel Puerta-Johnson of Santa Clarita, CA died in April 2020 after taking a fake oxycodone made with fentanyl
Daniel Puerta-Johnson
April 6, 2020
Charles Ternan died at Santa Clara University in California in May 2020 after taking a counterfeit Percocet he ordered online
Charles Ternan
May 14, 2020
Cameron Stewart of Cedar Park, Texas died in March 2021 after he took a fake Valium made with fentanyl
Cameron Stewart
March 20, 2021
Austin Devin Berlin<br> November 12, 2017
Austin Devin Berlin
November 12, 2017
Taylor Durkee<br>March 12, 2017
Taylor Durkee
March 12, 2017
Taylor Coffman<br>October 4, 2017
Taylor Coffman
October 4, 2017
Torrie Hardin-Walsh<br> March 8, 2018
Torrie Hardin-Walsh
March 8, 2018
Russell Meehan<br> March 2016
Russell Meehan
March 2016
Tank Hafertepen<br>October 15, 2018
Tank Hafertepen
October 15, 2018
Symone Jones<br>January 12, 2017
Symone Jones
January 12, 2017
Oklahoma City resident Susan Hadley was found dead on March 27, 2016, after she'd taken a counterfeit version of a prescription pain killer.
Susan Hadley
March 27, 2016
Sabrina Bryant<br>December 3, 2015
Sabrina Bryant
December 3, 2015
Ryan Briese<br>July 19, 2017
Ryan Briese
July 19, 2017
On Nov. 16, 2016, Poway, CA resident Richard Summerfruit died after ingesting half of a Percocet.
Richard Summerfruit
November 16, 2016
Arkansas native Pruitt Wright died of fentanyl poisoning in Florida on November 15, 2016. He had purchased Xanax which were laced with carfentanil.
Pruitt Wright
November 15, 2016
Peter Dovak<br>November 16, 2017
Peter Dovak
November 16, 2017
Tampa resident Tanisha Cassidine became deathly ill the day after she received black market silicone injections. She died March 16, 2017.
Tanisha Cassidine
March 16, 2017
Moise Felix of Phoenix, AZ took a counterfeit pill at a party, thinking it was Percocet. He died on November 10, 2018.
Moises Felix
November 10, 2018
Michael Pridmore<br>August 10, 2017
Michael Pridmore
August 10, 2017
Michael Cipolla<br>January 29, 2017
Michael Cipolla
January 29, 2017
New York City resident Latesha Bynum died on July 27, 2017 after receiving black market cosmetic injections.
Latesha Bynum
July 27, 2017
Kyle Kearby of South Haven, IN, died on September 8, 2018 after taking counterfeit Xanax that a family member believed laced with fentanyl.
Kyle Kearby
September 8, 2018
Kara Heckenberger, a resident of Lower Nazareth Township, PA, died of fentanyl poisoning on August 9, 2017 after taking what she thought was a Percocet.
Kara Heckenberger
August 9, 2017
Chronic pain sufferer Justin Saens of San Jose, CA was found dead on April 13, 2016 after he took counterfeit fentanyl-laced Norco that be believed was the real thing.
Justin Saens
April 13, 2016
Jeffrey Vaughn was found dead on March 27, 2016 in Oklahoma City after he'd taken a counterfeit version of a prescription pain killer.
Jeffrey Vaughn
March 27, 2016
On August 19, 2018, Jeffrey Scott Callahan was found dead in Spalding County, Georgia. He had taken counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl.
Jeffrey Scott Callahan
August 18, 2018
Philadelphia, PA resident Lesbia Ayala died in the Bronx, NY on June 17, 2018 after receiving black market silicone injections.
Lesbia Ayala
June 17, 2018
James Bohard Sr. and his, son James Bohard, Jr., died of fentanyl poisoning on Christmas Day in 2017 after taking pills that were supposed to be oxycodone.
James Bohard, Sr.
December 25, 2017
James Bohard Sr. and his, son James Bohard, Jr., died of fentanyl poisoning on Christmas Day in 2017 after taking pills that were supposed to be oxycodone.
James Bohard, Jr.
December 25, 2018
Prescott Valley, AZ teen Jake Morales and his friend, Gunner Bundrick, died on November 3, 2018 after taking counterfeit Percocet laced with fentanyl.
Jake Morales
November 3, 2018
Jackson Moore of Monroe County, GA died on June 4, 2017 after he took a counterfeit Percocet pill.
Jackson Moore
June 4, 2017
Prescott Valley, AZ teen Gunner Bundrick and his friend, Jake Morales, died on November 3, 2018 after taking counterfeit Percocet laced with fentanyl.
Gunner Bundrick
November 3, 2018
El Dorado Hills, CA resident George Berry died as a result of taking a counterfeit fentanyl pill on March 25, 2016.
George Berry
March 25, 2016
Garrett Arendse died in Alger, WA on April 1, 2018 after he took counterfeit oxycodone laced with fentanyl.
Garrett Arendse
April 1, 2018
Eric Purcell died in Boca Raton, FL in March 2017 after taking a counterfeit Xanax.
Eric Purcell
March 2017
Louisville, KY resident Derrick Elder died on October 25, 2018 after taking counterfeit Percocet.
Derrick Elder
October 25, 2018
On August 1, 2018, Dennis Wade was found dead in Spalding County, Georgia. He had taken counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl.
Dennis Wade
August 1, 2018
David Ochoa of San Bruno, CA died on February 19, 2019 after taking a fentanyl-laced Xanax.
David Ochoa
February 19, 2018
Manteca, CA resident David Alfaro died in March 2017 after taking counterfeit Norco.
David Alfaro
March 2016
Danielle Fallon of Chatham, NY died September 21, 2017 after taking counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl.
Danielle Fallon
September 21, 2017
Corey Mandich died on August 10, 2018 in Vanderbilt, PA after taking a counterfeit oxycodone that contained fentanyl.
Corey Mandich
August 10, 2018
Albuquerque, NM resident Chuckie Miller died on March 11, 2017 after taking counterfeit oxycodone laced with fentanyl.
Chuckie Miller
March 11, 2017
Christy Schlund was found dead on March 27, 2016 in Oklahoma City after she'd taken a counterfeit version of a prescription pain killer.
Christy Schlund
March 27, 2016
Christiana Kuerner died in Las Vegas, NV on March 14, 2017 after taking counterfeit medicine laced with fentanyl.
Christiana Kuerner
March 14, 2017
Cameron Johnson of Wyoming, Minnesota died December 12, 2016 after taking fentanyl-laced oxycodone.
Cameron Johnson
December 12, 2016
Brayden George died in Petaluma, CA on April 16, 2018 after taking a counterfeit Xanax.
Brayden George
April 16, 2018
Bradley Stokesbury died in Englewood, OH on March 25, 2016 after taking a counterfeit Xanax that was laced with fentanyl.
Bradley Stokesbury
March 25, 2016
Rebecca Doyle died in Clear Lake, WA on April 6, 2018 after she took counterfeit oxycodone laced with fentanyl.
Rebecca Doyle
April 6, 2018
Alexandria McNeeley of Mooresville, NC was found dead in her car on December 3, 2017 after she had taken a fentanyl-laced counterfeit pill.
Alexandria McNeeley
December 3, 2017
Alexander Fisher of Enfield, CT died on September 30, 2016 after taking a single fentanyl-laced counterfeit OxyContin.
Alexander Fisher
September 30, 2016
Tucson, AZ resident Aaron Francisco Chavez died November 1, 2018 after taking a pill laced with fentanyl.
Aaron Francisco Chavez
October 31, 2018
Oakland, CA resident Amelia Lopez Zaguilan died in Citrus Heights, CA in May 2013 after receiving black market silicone injections.
Amelia Lopez Zaguilan
May 2013
Betty Pino, a Miami radio personality, died of sepsis in August 2013 after surgery to remove black market silicone she'd had injected years earlier.
Betty Pino
August 2013
Beth Roulet of Mankato, MN died March 5, 2019 after taking counterfeit oxycodone.
Beth Roulet
March 5, 2019
Buckeye, AZ resident Bryan McKinsey died May 9, 2018 after taking counterfeit oxycodone laced with fentanyl.
Bryan McKinsey
May 9, 2018
Charles Wilson of Lawrenceville, GA died February 26, 2015 after taking a counterfeit pill laced with fentanyl.
Charles Wilson
February 26, 2015
Jamie Daniels died on December 7, 2016 in Southfield, MI after taking a counterfeit pill laced with fentanyl.
Jamie Daniels
December 7, 2016
Jared Friederick of Prescott Valley, AZ died on June 7, 2018 after taking a counterfeit pill laced with fentanyl.
Jared Friederick
June 7, 2018
Jolene Berger Bowman<br>July 1, 2015
Jolene Berger Bowman
July 1, 2015
Phoenix, AZ firefighter Juston Doherty died on July 8, 2017 after taking a fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone.
Juston Doherty
July 8, 2017
On March 24, 2012 Atlanta resident Karima Gordon died of silicone embolism in her lungs after receiving black market cosmetic injections.
Karima Gordon
March 24, 2012
Santa Ana, CA resident Katya De La Riva died of silicone embolism syndrome on January 21, 2015 after receiving black market cosmetic injections.
Katya De La Riva
January 21, 2015
Kelly Mayhew of Suitland, MD died on May 30, 2015 after receiving black market silicone injections.
Kelly Mayhew
May 30, 2015
Atlanta performer Lateasha Shuntel Hall died on November 18, 2015 after receiving black market silicone injections.
Lateasha Shuntel Hall
November 18, 2015
Spencer Palozej of Manchester, CT died on February 1, 2018 when the oxycodone he bought from an acquaintance turned out to be laced with fentanyl.
Spencer Palozej
February 1, 2018
Miami resident Suyima Torres died in April 2013 after receiving black market silicone injections.
Suyima Torres
April 2013
Tamara Blaine of Queens, NY died in July 2013 after she received black market silicone injections.
Tamara Blaine
July 8, 2013
C.J. Kordsmeier of Conway, AR died on February 21, 2019 after taking counterfeit oxycodone laced with fentanyl.
C.J. Kordsmeier
February 21, 2019
Ida Sylvester of the Swinomish Reservation, La Connor, WA died on May 11, 2018, after she took counterfeit oxycodone laced with fentanyl.
Ida C. Sylvester
May 11, 2018
Staunton, VA resident Travis Johnson died February 2, 2018 after taking a counterfeit Percocet laced with carfentanil.
Travis Johnson
February 2, 2018
William Grzyminski died in Buckingham, PA on November 3, 2015 after taking a fentanyl-laced counterfeit Percocet.
William Grzyminski
November 3, 2015
Anthony Spence of Bakersfield, CA died in a park on January 5, 2019 after taking a counterfeit Xanax laced with fentanyl.
Anthony Spence
January 5, 2019
Dallas, TX resident Wykesha Reid died in a salon on February 19, 2015 after receiving black market silicone injections.
Wykesha Reid
February 19, 2015
Illinois resident Jake Stakas died on October 17, 2017 after he took a counterfeit Xanax laced with fentanyl.
Jake Stakas
October 17, 2017
Marcia Bergeron died in December 2006 after taking counterfeit medicine.
Marcia Bergeron

December 6, 2006

Matthew Matich, counterfeit pill victim, San Pedro, CA
Matthew Matich
July 26, 2018
Edward Kobilis<br>July 4, 2018
Edward Kobilis
July 4, 2018
Casey Force<br>July 25, 2019
Casey Force
July 25, 2019
Alex M. Nava<br>April 5, 2019
Alex M. Nava
April 5, 2019
Roland Mariano Escarcega, Jr.<br>Valley Center, CA
Roland Mariano Escarcega, Jr.
Valley Center, CA
Franklin Gray<br>February 4, 2019
Franklin Gray
February 4, 2019
Christopher Zirkle <br> May 24, 2019
Christopher Zirkle
May 24, 2019
Nicholas Bateman<br>July 1, 2017
Nicholas Bateman
July 1, 2017
Alejandro “Alex” Woodraska <br> March 25, 2019.
Alejandro “Alex” Woodraska
March 25, 2019.
Mac MIller died in his home in Studio City, CA after taking counterfeit oxycodone pills made with fentanyl.
American Rapper Mac Miller
September 7, 2018
21-year-old Daly City, CA. resident Ruslan Klyuev died after consuming counterfeit oxycondone.
Ruslan Klyuev
June 13, 2016
Gavin Keblish of Eastport, NY died after he had surgery and purchased counterfeit, fentanyl-laced oxycodone online.
Gavin Keblish
August 13, 2016
Marine Cpl. Mark M. Mambulao<br>April 15, 2017
Marine Cpl. Mark M. Mambulao
April 15, 2017
Marcus Krogh of Mankato, MN died in May 2020 after taking a counterfeit pill.
Marcus Krogh
May 21, 2020
Lantz Tucker of Olathe, KS died on March 7. 2020 after taking a counterfeit pill.
Lantz Tucker
March 7, 2020
17-year-old Hannah Cupp of Prescott Valley, AZ died in March 2020 after taking a counterfeit pill.
Hannah Cupp
March 22, 2020
Christian Query died in Lancater, PA on February 13, 2019, after taking a counterfeit pill laced with fentanyl.
Christian Query
February 13, 2019
Graham Jordan died in Baton Rouge, LA in January 2017 after taking a counterfeit pill laced with fentanyl.
Graham Jordan
January 29, 2017
Daniel Davis died in January 2020 in Reno, NV after taking a fentanyl-laced counterfeit pill.
Daniel Davis
January 29, 2020
Jacob Eckart of Reno, NV died on February 3, 2020 after taking a fentanyl-laced counterfeit pill.
Jacob Eckart
February 3, 2020
Jonyvan Johnson of Hew Haven, IN died April 19, 2020 after taking a fentanyl-laced counterfeit Percocet.
Jonyvan Johnson
April 19, 2020
Emilio Velci of Atascadero, CA died on March 9, 2020 after taking a fentanyl-laced, counterfeit Percocet.
Emilio Velci
March 9, 2020
Aundrea Haas died in Myrtle Beach, SC on December 3, 2020 after taking counterfeit Xanax
Aundrea Haas
December 3, 2020
Sally Ricchiuti of San Diego, CA died on September 18, 2020 after taking a counterfeit pill made with fentanyl.
Sally Ricchiuti
September 18, 2020
Ryan Turman<br>June 6, 2020
Ryan Turman
June 6, 2020
Adrian Caggianelli died in Overland Park, Kansas on July 28, 2020 after taking a counterfeit Xanax
Adrian Caggianelli
July 28, 2020
Bobby Ausbun died in Bellevue, WA on October 9, 2020 after taking a pill made with fentanyl.
Bobby Ausbun
October 9, 2020
Leon Redfeather Caldwell of Neopit, WI died on July 9, 2019 after taking part of a pill made with fentanyl.
Leon Redfeather Caldwell
July 9, 2019
Brian Eastin of Colorado Springs, CO died May 8, 2020 after taking a counterfeit pain pill.
Brian Eastin
May 8, 2020
Jonathan Ellington of Carbondale, CO died December 28, 2017 after taking a counterfeit pain pill.
Jonathan Ellington
December 28, 2017
Peter Garner died in Warwick Township, PA in January 2018 after he took a fake pill made with fentanyl.
Peter Garner
January 23, 2018
UNR student Ben Taylor died in Reno, NV on March 3, 2019 after taking a counterfeit pain pill.
Ben Taylor
March 3, 2019
UNR Student Jordan Watts died in Reno, Nevada on March 2, 2019 after taking counterfeit Xanax
Jordan Watts
March 2, 2019
David Wayne Overlin of Decatur, IL died in April 2019 after taking a counterfeit Xanax made with fentanyl
David Wayne Overlin
April 3, 2019
St. Albans, VT resident Donald Stevens died in May 2019 after he was sold a counterfeit pill that contained fentanyl
Donald Stevens
May 5, 2019
Tre' Hall of Johnstown PA died in November 2020 after he ingested a fake Percocet made with fentanyl
Tre' Hall
November 26, 2020
Zach Plunk of Mesa, Arizona died of fentanyl poisoning in August 2020 after taking a fake Percocet
Zach Plunk
August 2020
Matthew Loudon of Olney, MD died in November 2020 after taking a counterfeit Xanax that was made with fentanyl.
Matthew Loudon
November 3, 2020
West Covina, CA resident Dustin White died in April 2020 after the "oxys" he purchased turned out to be fakes made of fentanyl.
Dustin White
April 18, 2020
Oaklawn, IL resident Aspen Maloney died in December 2018 after taking a counterfeit Xanax.
Aspen Maloney
December 12, 2018
Cameron-Herr of New Haven, CT died in March 2018 after taking a fake oxycodone made with fentanyl.
Cameron Herr
March 18, 2018
19-year old Devin Norring of Hastings, Minnesota died after taking a counterfeit pill
Devin Joseph Norring
April 4, 2020
53-year-old Hayward, Wisconsin native Lisa Deneen Quagon died of fentanyl poisoning June 11, 2020, days after taking a fake Percocet pill.
Lisa Deneen Quagon
June 11, 2020
23-year-old Kendrick, Idaho native Cal Daniel Heinen died in Washington state on November 21, 2019 after taking a fentanyl-laced pill.
Cal Daniel Heinen
November 21, 2019
23-year-old Fort Wayne, Indiana resident Christoper Juillerat died of fentanyl poisoning on May 12, 2020 after taking a fake pill.
Christoper Juillerat
May 12, 2020
14-year-old Alondra Valeria Salinas died in Prescott Valley, Arizona on October 20, 2020 after taking a fake pill she bought in response to a post on Snapchat.
Alondra Valeria Salinas
October 20, 2020
Caleb Kiessling, 20, Kyler Kiessling, 18, and an unnamed friend died in Auburn Hills, Michigan on July 26, 2020 after they all took counterfeit Percocet made with fentanyl
Caleb and Kyler Kiessling
July 29, 2020
Ryan Nicholas Weber of Blaine, Minnesota, 34, died on May 22, 2020 after taking a counterfeit oxycodone made with fentanyl
Ryan Nicholas Weber
May 22, 2020
40-year-old Davonia Cleveland of Alexandria, Louisiana died on July 24, 2020 after she took counterfeit oxycodone pills made with fentanyl.
Davonia Cleveland
July 24, 2020
Isabelle Sutter, 20, died in Grand Rapids, Michigan after taking a fake OxyContin made with fentanyl
Isabelle Sutter
July 15, 2020
20-year-old Riverside resident Athena Zepeda died of fentanyl poisoning after taking fake Percocet at a party.
Athena Zepeda
November 7, 2020
Lawton, Oklahoma resident Doretta Rhodes died in June 2020 after taking a counterfeit Roxicodone pill made with fentanyl
Doretta Rhodes
June 12, 2020
Landon Marsh died of fentanyl poisoning in Tucson, AZ in May 2020 after taking a counterfeit Percocet
Landon Christopher Marsh
May 18, 2020
22-year-old Darian Scott of Flagstaff, Arizona died of fentanyl poisoning after taking a fake oxycodone pill.
Darian Scott
August 2, 2019
Pennsylvania resident Christine Englehardt died in Miami, Florida in March 2021. Two men have been charged with providing her with a fake pill made with fentanyl, sexually assaulting her, and stealing her credit cards.
Christine Englehardt
March 18, 2021
Former University of Hawaii quarterback Colt Brennan was killed by a counterfeit pill in Newport Beach, California on May 11, 2021.
Colt Brennan
May 11, 2021
Chicago native Walter Riley IV died on March 20, 2021 in after taking a fake pill in Miami, Florida
Walter Riley IV
March 20, 2021

About This Page

The counterfeit problem in America spans every therapeutic area and has claimed lives of people across the nation. We have included here many of the Americans who have been felled by counterfeit medicines. When we have spoken with their families, we have included a link to their story here.  Photos shown here have been provided by the family or the media. We have only cropped them to exclude non-victims.

 

Learn more about the dangers of breaking the supply chain through importation and how you can speak up for safety.