STATE OF ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL AND PROFESSIONAL REGULATION DIVISION OF PROFESSIONAL REGULATION DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL AND PROFESSIONAL REGULATION of the State of Illinois, ) ) Complainant, } v. } No, 2017-2513, Raman Popli, M.D., ) ea License No. 036-104035, } = CS License No. 336-064820 Respondent. ) 3 a NOTICE OF TEMPORARY SUSPENSI 5 = To: Raman I. Popli, M.D. 3 5415 Bull Valley Road, 1* Floor a McHenry, IL 60050 PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Director of the Division of Professional Regulation of the State of Illinois signed the attached ORDER which provides that your Ilinois Physician and Surgeon License No. 036-104035 and Illinois Controlled ‘Substance License No. 336-064820 are TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED. A copy of the ORDER, Petition, Complaint and Affidavit on which it is based, is ettached, FURTHERMORE, on Mareh 17, 2017 at 10: am the Medical Disciplinary Board of the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation of the State of Illinois, will hold a hearing at 100 W. Randolph Street, Suite 9-300, Chicago, Illinois 60601, to determine the truth of the charges set forth in the attached Complaint. At the hearing you will be given an opportunity to present such statements, testimony, evidence and argument as may be pertinent to or in defense to the charges. Itis required that you appear at the hearing unless the matteris continued in advance, Failure to attend the hearing at the time and place as stated above may result in a decision being made, in your absence, to continue the suspension of your license. You hhave the right to retain counsel to represent you in this matter and, in the opinion of this Department; it is advisable to be represented by a lawyer.Itis required that you file a VERIFED ANSWER to the attached Complaint with the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation by the date of the hearing. No CONTINUANCE of a hearing will be granted except at the discretion of the ‘Committee or Board. A written motion for continuance must be served on the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation at least three (3) business days before the date set for the Hearing and must set forth the reasons why holding the hearing on the date indicated will cause undue hardship. ‘Your ANSWER, your lawyer's APPEARANCE, and all MOTIONS or papers should be filed with the Clerk of the Court of the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, at 100 W. Randolph Street, Suite 9-300, Chicago, IL. 60601. RULES OF PRACTICE IN ADMINISTRATIVE HEARINGS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL AND PROFESSIONAL REGULATION BEFORE COMMITTEES OR BOARDS OF SAID DEPARTMENT are accessible at httov/www.idfpr.com/PROFS /Info/Physicians.asp or available upon request. DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL AND PROFESSIONAL REGULATION of the State of inois Laura E. Forester Chief of Medical Prosecution Vladimir Lozovskiy Staff Attormey Department of Financial and Professional Regulation Division of Professional Regulation 100 West Randolph, Suite 9-300 Chicago, Ilinois 60601 312/814-1691STATE OF ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL AND PROFESSIONAL REGULATION DIVISION OF PROFESSIONAL REGULATION DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL AND ) PROFESSIONAL REGULATION ) of the State of Illinois, ‘Complainant, ) oa ¥ )No. 2017-02513 Raman Popli, M.D., ) 5 License No. 036-104035, ) 3 CS License No. 336-064820 Respondent. ) 2 3 ORDER ee am This matter having come before the Director of the Division of Professional Regulation of the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation on a Petition filed by the Chief of Medical Prosecutions of the Division which requested Temporary Suspension of the licenses of Respondent, and the Director, having examined the Petition, finds that the publi interest, safety and welfare imperatively require emergency action to prevent the continued practice of Raman Popli, M.D., Respondent, in that Respondent's actions constitute an immediate danger to the public. NOW, THEREFORE, I, JESSICA BAER, DIRECTOR OF THE DIVISION OF PROFESSIONAL REGULATION of the State of Illinois, hereby ORDER that the Illinois Physician and Surgeon License No. 036-104035 and the Illinois Controlled Substance License No. 336-064820 of Respondent, Raman Popli, M.D., to practice medicine as a Physician and Surgeon in the State of Illinois be SUSPENDED, pending proceedings before an Administrative Law Judge at the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation and the Medical Disciplinary Board of the State of Illinois | FURTHER ORDER that Respondent shall immediately surrender all indicia of licensure to the Department,DATED THIS {3 DAY OF AAa sc: » 2017. DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL AND PROFESSIONAL REGULATION of the State of Mlinois, Bryan A. Schneider, Secretary Division of Professional Regulations JESSICABAER Ref: IDFPR Case No. 2017-02513 License No. 036-104035 and CS License No, 336-064820STATE OF ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL AND PROFESSIONAL REGULATION DIVISION OF PROFESSIONAL REGULATION DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL AND ) PROFESSIONAL REGULATION ) 4 of the State of Illinois, ‘Complainant, ) a vy ) No. 2017-2513 Raman Popli, M.D., ) License No. 036-104035, ) CS License No, 336-064820 Respondent. ) go:zind &1 WH Lb PETITION FOR TEMPORARY SUSPENSION NOW COMES the Complainant, by its Chief of Medical Prosecutions. Laura E, Forester, and Petitions JESSICA BAER, Director of the Division of Professional Regulation, Department of Financial and Professional Regulation of the State of Illinois, pursuant to 225 ILCS 60/37 to issue an Order for Temporary Suspension of the Illinois Physician and Surgeon License and the Illinois Controlled Substance License of Raman Popli, M.D., Respondent. In support of said Petition, Petitioner alleges as follows: 1. Respondent is presently the holder of a Certificate of Registration as a Physician and Surgeon in the State of Illinois, License No. 036-104035, and Controlled Substance License No. 336-064820 issued by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation of the State of Ili is. Said Licenses are presently in. active status. 2. Information has come to the Department's attention that Respondent was inappropriately prescribing Controlled Substances to the patients of his private practice, In the course of the U.S, Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Chicago Field Office investigation of Respondent, the DEA obtainedinformation from a source of information (SOI) that he/she was purchasing Controlled Substances from one of the patients of Respondent's practice, patient S., who was getting multiple Controlled Substances from Respondent. The same SOI indicated that patient S.S. informed said SOI that he/she can go see Respondent, give Respondent patient $.S.’s name and a fake story and that Respondent would give said SOI whatever he/she wants. . In the summer 2016, the DEA Chicago Field Office also received a complaint from 4 local pharmacist regarding Respondent's overprescribing of Controlled Substances to the patients of his private practice. Subsequently, the DEA Chicago Field Office conducted two undercover office visits whereby both undercover officers (UC) received Controlled Substances from Respondent during the initial office visits while presenting with multiple red flags to Respondent: a, On or about July 25, 2016, a North Chicago Police Department Officer posing as a patient (UC #1) presented to Respondent’s office and obtained Noreo, a schedule I Controlled Substance, from Respondent. During the office visit, UC# 1 indicated that he/she had no pain, but rather tendemess in the shoulder area, During the exam of the shoulder, UC #1 indicated that none of the areas that Respondent checked generated any pain, but were rather iritable, During the office visit, UC#1 also informed Respondent that he/she was getting Norco from his “buddy” for approximately a year and a half, Moreover, UC#1 asked for Norco and Respondent proceeded to authorize a prescription for Noreo 5/325 mg in the amount of 30 tablets forUC #1. On or about August 15, 2016, UC#I contacted Respondent's office and was informed that Respondent is no longer going to see him/her and that the letter was sent to UC#I address of record. b. On or about August 10, 2016, a DEA Task Force Officer (TFO) posing as a patient (UC#2) presented to Respondent's office and obtained Norco, a schedule If Controlled Substance, from Respondent. During the office visit, UC# 2 indicated that he/she has been taking Norco on and off for three (3) months for left elbow soumess. UC# 2 indicated that he/she has been getting Norco from some guy and on the intemet. During the office visit, Respondent proceeded to authorize a prescription for Norco 5/325 mg in the amount of 20 tablets for UC#2. On August 17, 2016, UCH2 presented to Respondent's office after he/she was informed that Respondent was discharging UC#2 from his practice. c. On August 17, 2016, UC#2 received a letter signed by Respondent that contained false information, including the following: i. Your name has been flagged by the DEA (along with a few others) and I have been informed by the DEA that you need to be referred toa pain specialist and that I should not be prescribing chronic pain medications to you. See Department's Exhibit A, attached hereto and made a part of this Petition, 6. A review of the Illinois Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP) revealed that between June 2014 and May 2016, Respondent purportedly authorized and/orprescribed over 350,000 (three hundred and fifty thousand) dosage units of controlled substances, including the following: a. over 167, 000 (one hundred sixty-seven thousand) dosage nits of Hydrocodone-based Controlled Substances; b. over 86, 000 (eighty-six thousand) dosage units of Xanax; c. over 50, 000 (fifty thousand) dosage units of Oxycodone-based Controlled ‘Substances; 4. over 28,0000 (twenty-eight thousand) dosage units of Klonopi 7. In addition, the DEA investigation identified approximately thirty (30) patients of Respondent's practice that were prescribed a combination of drugs by Respondent known as a “Holy Trinity” cocktail which gives the user the effect and euphoria of heroin use. 8. In August 2017, DEA agents interviewed multiple pharmacists in Respondent's area and leamed that at least two area pharmacists complained to Respondent about his Controlled Substance prescribing habits. a. A CVS Pharmacist at 3900 West Elm Street, McHenry, Illinois, indicated that Respondent prescribed a high amount of Schedule II Controlled Substances as a general practitioner. Moreover, said CVS pharmacist advised that he called Respondent approximately three (3) times in the last couple of months about Respondent's patients getting, early refills and improper prescribing issues; b. A Walmart Pharmacist at 3801 Running Brook Farm Blvd, Johnsburg, Illinois, indicated that Walmart has a corporate list of doctors whoprescribe high amount of Norcos and Respondent was on the list. She advised that she contacted Respondent 6-7 months ago to let him know that he was flagged in the Walmart system and was on the list of doctors who prescribe a high amount of Controlled Substances. She informed Respondent that as a general practitioner, he should start referring his patients to a pain clinic to keep from getting in trouble with the DEA. 9., On or about February 14, 2017, Respondent was interviewed by DEA Special Agent Heather Boone and TFO Benny Ranallo. During the interview, Respondent initially lied to DEA agents and indicated that he never prescribed Hydrocodone on the first visit to a new patient. Even when Respondent was informed that the DEA had two undercover officers who posed as new patients and were prescribed Hydrocodone on the first visit, Respondent indicated that it did not happen because he always checked the PMP to see if the new patient was already taking Hydrocodone and if they were not, Respondent would not prescribe to them. 10. During the aforementioned interview, Respondent was confronted by the TFO with a prescription for Hydrocodone that UC received during the first office visit and Respondent admitted that it was his signature, 11. During the aforementioned interview, Respondent was confronted with the discharge letter UC#2 received in August 2016 and Respondent indicated that he made up the letter so he would not have to see the patients because Respondent did not like confrontations. During the interview, Respondent also indicated that he did not see anything wrong with him prescribing narcotics to the patients once and then sending them the discharge letters because Respondent did not like12, 13. 14. confrontations and admitted to sending letters to approximately thirty (30) patients over the past year. When asked by TFO Ranallo why Respondent prescribed to approximately 30 people that Respondent did not think needed the medications, Respondent indicated that he did not think that there was anything ‘wrong with that because he only prescribed one time for new patients. During the aforementioned interview, Respondent was provided with information indicating that he was prescribing almost twice the amount of Hydrocodone (approximately 167,000) compared to the second highest Controlled Substance, Xanax (approximately 86,000). Subsequently, Respondent was asked why he was prescribing a high amount of Hydrocodone for his patients when he wasn’t a pain specialist, Respondent did not have a response except to continually ask if his prescribing was high for a doctor. At the conclusion of the February 14, 2017 interview, Respondent was asked to surrender his DEA Registration for cause. To date, Respondent has not surrendered his DEA Registration and continues to have an unrestricted ability to prescribe Controlled Substances. Brian Zachariah, M.D., Chief Medical Coordinator of the Ilinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Division of Professional Regulation, has been consulted in this matter and believes that the continued practice of medicine by Respondent, Raman Popli, M.D., presents an immediate danger to the safety of the public in the State of Illinois. See Department’s Exhibit B, attached hereto and made a part of this Petition. Petitioner further alleges that the public interest, safety and welfare imperativelyrequire emergency action, in that Respondent's continued practice of medicine constitutes an immediate danger to the public. WHEREFORE, Petitioner prays that the Illinois Physician and Surgeon License and the Illinois Controlled Substance Licenses of Raman Popli, M.D., be Temporarily Suspended pending proceedings before the Medical Disciplinary Board of the State of Ulinois. DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL AND PROFESSIONAL REGULATION of the State of ois ht Laura E, Forester Chief of Medical Prosecutions Vladimir Lozovskiy Staff Attomey, Medical Prosecutions Unit Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation Division of Professional Regulation 100 West Randolph, Suite 9-300 Chicago, Illinois 60601 312/814-1691Dr Raman Popli and Associates 5415 Bull Valley Road McHenry IL 60050 Tel# 615 363 6055 Faxi# 815 363 6150 ‘am writing to you to let you know that I will no longer be able provide my services to you. As you know the abuse of pain medications has reached an epidemic proportion and to counter that the DEA has been tightening their control and oversight of these medications. Your name has been fiagged by the DEA (along with a few others) and I have been informed by the DEA that you need to be referred to a pain specialist and that I should not be prescribing chronic pain medications to you. ‘Things being what they are, I cannot afford to get in trouble with the Federal Government. So I have no choice but to terminate our relationship. willbe providing you emergency medical care only for the next thirty days. I will be happy to forward your medical records to the physician of your choice, Datea: $76 a “oe a a AYSTATE OF ILLINOIS: DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL AND PROFESSIONAL REGULATION DIVISION OF PROFESSIONAL REGULATION DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL AND ) PROFESSIONAL REGULATION ) of the State of Illinois, Complainant, ) v. ) No, 2017-2513 Raman Popli, M.D., ) License No. 036-104035, ) CS License No, 336-064820 Respondent. ) AEFIDAVIT OF BRIAN ZACHARIAH, M.D. 1, Brian Zachariah, M.D., being duly swom upon oath, depose and make this Affidavit on my personal knowledge, and if swom as a witness in this matter I would competently testify to the following facts: 1. Lam a Physician licensed to practice medicine in the State of Illinois. I have been a licensed Physician for approximately twenty-nine years. Lam currently Chief Medical Coordinator of the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Division of Professional Regulation. 3. Thave reviewed investigative documents pertaining to the Respondent provided by the US) Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration, Chicago Field Office (DEA), including interviews of Respondent, analysis of Respondent's Illinois Prescription Monitoring Program prescription profile, interviews with pharmacists and reports regarding undercover activities at Respondent's practice. 4. After the review of the aforementioned information, I am of the opinion within a reasonable degree of medical certainty that the continued practice of medicine by Raman Popli, M.D., presents an immediate danger to the safety of the public in the State of Illinois, EXHIBIT 1BSubs this ind sworn to before me _day of March 2017, Brian Z Affiant OFFICIAL SEAL KATHLEEN Id WALSH _NATARY PUBLIC. STATE OF MLNOIS YCORMNSS IN EAPPES GENTSTATE OF ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL AND PROFESSIONAL REGULATIO DIVISION OF PROFESSIONAL REGULATION DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL AND ) PROFESSIONAL REGULATION ) of the State of Illinois, ‘Complainant, ) e v ) No. 2017-2513 Raman Popli, M.D., ) 3 License No. 036-104035, ) CS License No. 336-064820 Respondent. ) COMPLAINT ae NOW COMES the DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL AND PROFESSIONAL REGULATION, DIVISION OF PROFESSIONAL REGULATION, of the State of Illinois, by its Chief of Medical Prosecutions, Laura E. Forester, and as its COMPLAINT. against Raman Popli, M.D., Respondent, complains as follows: COUNTI 1. Respondent is presently the holder of a Certificate of Registration as a Physician and Surgeon in the State of Illinois, License No. 036-104035, and Controlled Substance License No. 336-064820 issued by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation of the State of Illinois. Said licenses are presently in Active status. 2, ‘That the Department has jurisdiction to investigate complaints and to bring this action pursuant to 225 ILCS 60/36. 3. Between June 2014 and May 2016, Respondent purportedly authorized and/or prescribed over 350,000 (three hundred and fifty thousand) dosage _units of Controlled Substances, including the following: Page | of 10a, over 167, 000 (one hundred sixty-seven thousand) dosage units of Hydrocodone-based Controlled Substances; , over 86, 000 (eighty-six thousand) dosage units of Xanax; ¢. over 50, 000 (fifty thousand) dosage units of Oxycodone-based Controlled Substances; 4. over 28,0000 (twenty-cight thousand) dosage units of Klonopin. . On or about July 25, 2016, a North Chicago Police Department Officer posing as a patient (UC #1) presented to Respondent's office for an initial office visit. . During said July 25, 2016 office visit, UC#1 provided the following information to Respondent: 1, Helshe has continuous discomfort at the area of left shoulder, b. He/she had been receiving Norco tablets from a friend; c. There is no pain in his shoulder, the area was just tender, 4d. When Respondent asked UC#I how bad was the pain in the shoulder, UC#I indicated that there was not any pain, but rather a tendemess in the area; . During examination, UC#I notified Respondent that none of the spots checked generated any pain, but were rather initable; £ UC#I confirmed that he/she had been receiving Norco from a buddy; g, UCHI indicated that he/she was taking Norco for approximately a year and a half; h. UCH indicated that he/she was taking approximately 2 Norco tablets/daily; Page 2 of 10i. UCHI indicated that he tried Tbuprofen and it did not work; j. UC#I indicated that he/she was not sure what dose of Norco he/she was taking. 6. On or about July 25, 2016, Respondent proceeded to authorize a prescription for Norco 5/325 mg in the amount of 30 tablets for UC #1. 7. On or about August 15, 2016, UC#I contacted Respondent's office and was informed that he/she had been taken out of the system and Respondent would not: see UC#I in the future. 8. On or about August 15, 2016, UC#I was informed that Respondent's office mailed UC#I a letter which purportedly contained the following misleading information: a. Your name has been flagged by the DEA (along with a few others) and I have been informed by the DEA that you need to be referred to a pain specialist and that I should not be prescribing chronic pain medications to you. 9. On or about August 10, 2016, a DEA Task Force Officer posing as a patient (UC #2) presented to Respondent's office for an initial office visit. 10. During August 10, 2016 office visit, UC#2 provided the following information to Respondent: a. Helshe was experiencing soreness atthe left elbow; b. IC#2 informed Respondent that he has been getting Norco from some guy and on the internet; c, He/she has been taking Norco on/off for about three months; Page 3 of 104. When asked if he/she has taken anything else, UC#2 indicated that he/she only takes Norco because it works; e. UC#2 was working in the area and heard from the guy named Jeff that Respondent was taking new patients; f. UCH2 requested that Respondent write prescriptions. 11, On or about August 10, 2016, Respondent authorized Norco 5/325 mg in the amount of 20 tablets for UC#2. 12. On or about August 15, 2016, UCH2 contacted Respondent's office and was informed that he/she was blocked and Respondent would not be treating UC#2 in the future. 13. On or about August 15, 2016, UC#2 was informed by Respondent's office personnel that the letter was sent to UC#2"s address explaining the reasons why Respondent was not going to see UC#2. 14, On or about August 17, 2016, UC#2 presented to Respondent's office and obtained a copy of the letter that was sent by Respondent. See Department’s Exhibit A, attached hereto and made a part of this Complaint. 15, On or about August 17, 2016, UC#2 received a letter which contained the following tisleading information: 1, Your name has been flagged by the DEA (along with a few others) and I have been informed by the DEA that you need to be referred. to a pain specialist and that I should not be prescribing chronic pain medications to you. Page 4 of 1016. On or about February 14, 2017, Respondent was interviewed by DEA Special Agent Heather Boone and TFO Benny Ranallo. 17. At the beginning of the interview, SA Boone informed Respondent that he was the subject of a DEA Investigation after a concerned pharmacist from McHenry contacted DEA to report Respondent's overprescribing of Controlled Substances along with patients getting early refills more than once per month. 18, During the aforementioned interview, Respondent was provided with the information indicating that he was prescribing almost twice the amount of Hydrocodone (approximately 167,000) compared to the second highest Controlled Substance, Xanax (approximately 86,000). 19. During the aforementioned interview, Respondent was provided with information that he authorized approximately 1800 prescriptions for Hydrocodone-based Controlled Substances and approximately 1500 prescriptions for Xanax. 20. During the aforementioned interview, Respondent was asked why he was prescribing a high amount of Hydrocodone for his patients when he wasn’t a pain specialist and Respondent did not have a response except to continually ask if his prescribing was high for a doctor. 21. When asked why Respondent had 250 patients from Wisconsin receiving Controlled Substances, Respondent did not think that 250 patients from Wisconsin was alarming since Wisconsin was close by. 22, When Respondent was asked about early refills for patient J.S., Respondent indicated that he did not give early prescriptions and that he checked the PMP so this did not happen. Page $ of 1023. Respondent was notified that he prescribed Norco 10/325 mg in the amount of 120 tablets for patient J.S. on the following dates: a, January 23, 2016; b. February 16, 2016; c. March 14, 2016; d. April 6, 2016; ¢. May 1, 2016; £. May 19, 2016; g. May 28, 2016; h. June 15, 2016; uly 5, 2016; j. July 15,2016. 24, During the interview, Respondent indicated that patient J.S. had issues with her back and needed medications. 25. When asked to log on to show DEA agents that Respondent had access to the Illinois PMP, Respondent logged on his laptop. 26. After Respondent logged on to the Illinois PMP, Respondent began to perspire on his face which led to actual sweat dripping from his forehead. 27. When Respondent was shown a list of 29 patients who were receiving the “Trinity Combo” of medications, Respondent indicated that he understood what “Trinity Combo” was, 28. When asked why patient J.G. received 4,161 tablets of Morphine Sulfate, 3,120 tablets of Soma, 3000 tablets of Oxycodone, 2,255 tablets of Xanax and 180 Page 6 of 1030. 31. 32. 33, 34. tablets of Valium over two (2) year period, Respondent indicated that patient J.G. also had a back problem. ). When asked if Respondent thought any of his patients were abusing the drugs he prescribed, Respondent indicated that he suspected that patient J.S. might have had a problem and is now on a medication to help her with opioid addiction. When asked if Respondent ever received a call from a pharmacist informing, Respondent that he was overprescribing and he should start referring patients to a pain specialist, Respondent was emphatic that he never spoken to any pharmacists, When informed that DEA agents spoken to local pharmacist who told them that she called Respondent approximately one year ago and informed Respondent that he was on the top of the list of doctors who prescribe the most Hydrocodone and advised Respondent that he needs to start telling his patients to see a pain specialist or DEA would start investigating him, Respondent indicated that he did not remember that conversation. When asked by DEA agents if Respondent ever prescribed Hydrocodone on the first visit to a new patient, Respondent indicated that he never prescribed Hydrocodone on the first visit to a new patient. . Respondent indicated that he would have checked the PMP first to see if the new patient was already taking Hydrocodone, and if they were not, he would not prescribe it to new patients. When Respondent was informed that DEA had two undercover officers who posed as new patients and were prescribed Hydrocodone on the first visit without Page 7 of 10X-rays or much of an examination, Respondent indicated that it did not happen because he always checked the PMP. 35. During the aforementioned interview, Respondent was confronted by TFO Ranallo with a prescription for Hydrocodone that UC#2 received during the first office visit, Respondent admitted that it was his signature, 36, During the aforementioned interview, Respondent was shown the discharge letter UCH#2 received in August 2016, (See Department's Exhibit A, attached hereto and made a part of this Complaint). 37. Respondent indicated that he made up the letter so he would not have to see the patients because Respondent did not like confrontations. 38, Respondent indicated that he did not want to tell no to patients on the first visit, so Respondent would give patients prescriptions for Schedule i and then send out the letter to terminate the relationship. 39, During the interview, Respondent indicated that he did not see anything wrong with him prescribing narcotics to the patients once and then sending them the discharge letters because Respondent did not like confrontations. 40. Respondent admitted to sending letters to approximately thirty (30) new patients over the past year. 41. When asked by TFO Ranallo why Respondent prescribed to approximately thirty (30) people that Respondent did not think needed the medications, Respondent indicated that he did not think that there was anything wrong with that because he only prescribed one time for new patients. Page 8 of 1042, During the interview, DEA agents also informed Respondent that one of his Patients was selling Controlled Substances prescribed by Respondent and that Respondent's patient/dealer was indicating that people can go to Respondent's office with a fake story and Respondent would give whatever people wanted, whether it was pain pills, Valium, etc. 43. At the conclusion of the February 14, 2017 interview, Respondent was asked to surrender his DEA Registration for cause, 44. To date, Respondent has not surrendered his DEA Registration and continues to have an unrestricted ability to prescribe Controlled Substances, 45. The foregoing acts and/or omissions are grounds for revocation or suspension of a Certificate of Registration pursuant to 225 Illinois Compiled Statutes, Section 60/22(A), paragraphs (5), (17) and (33). WHEREFORE, based on the foregoing allegations, the DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL AND PROFESSIONAL REGULATION, DIVISION OF PROFESSIONAL REGULATION, of the State of Illinois, by Laura E, Forester, Chief of Medical Prosecutions, prays that the Ilinois Physician and Surgeon License and Illinois Controlled Substance License of Raman I. Popli, M.D., be suspended, revoked, or otherwise disciplined. DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL AND PROFESSIONAL REGULATION, DIVISION OF PROFESSIONAL REGULATION, of the State of u == Laura E. Forester Chief of Medical Prosecution Page 9 of 10Vladimir Lozovskiy Staff Attorney, Medical Prosecutions Unit Department of Financial and Professional Regulation Division of Professional Regulation 100 West Randolph, Suite 9-300 Chicago, Illinois 60601 312/814-1691 Page 10 of 10